Mock Counter: A Hybrid Optical-Electronic Counter Using Fiber Delay Line Memory

摘要

The report discusses the principle of operation of a bit serial counter with lithium niobate (LiNbO3) directional coupler switches as the active logic elements and fiber delay lines as the memory. A preliminary version of the counter was built using 'mock' switches consisting of PIN diode receivers, ECL switching logic, and LED transmitters. By building the counter with mock components, they were able to address synchronization of the system and problems with the high speed electronics without dealing with all of the non-idealities of the LiNbO3 directional couplers. The results of the project are applied to issues that will arise in the construction of digital optical circuits using actual LiNbO3 directional couplers.