Ultrafast Optical Encryption and Waveform Recognition Using Space-Time Optical Engineering

摘要

Our overall objective is to demonstrate powerful new signal processing functionalities for ultrafast optical signals, with an emphasis on proof-of-concept experiments of new space-time (parallel-serial) optical processing methods. A key goal is to develop efficient methods for parallel- serial conversion of ultrafast optical signals, with potential application as an enabler for subsystems performing digital logic operations on ultrafast optical bit streams, especially encryption and temporal pattern matching operations. In particular, we have focused on research on subsystems for: (1) space-to-time conversion (or parallel-to-serial conversion) for generating ultrafast optical output pulse sequences corresponding to parallel (electronic) input data, and (2) time-to-space conversion (or serial-to-parallel conversion) for demultiplexing ultrafast time-domain optical data. In addition, we also obtained significant new results by applying our space-to-time converter for millimeter- wave arbitrary waveform generation. These results, not anticipated at the time of our proposal, open opportunities for generation of user defined, broadband electromagnetic signals at frequencies more than an order beyond the fastest commercial electronic arbitrary waveform generation instrumentation.