Patent ID: 6420985
Filing Date: 2002-07-16
Classification: H03M

Abstract:
A photonic, wide band analog to digital converter for converting an analog electrical signal to a digital electrical signal comprising:a tunable laser for receiving the analog electrical signal and providing an optical output signal having an optical wavelength which is a function of the amplitude of said analog electrical signal, an optical processor for receiving said optical output signal and responding to the optical wavelength thereof to convert said optical output signal to an N bit binary word, said optical processor including at least N separate optical bit legs, each said bit leg including an optical wavelength responsive optical filter for providing an optical output bit signal indicative of one bit of said N bit binary word, and an N number of photo-detectors connected to said optical processor, each of said photo-detectors being connected to a bit leg to receive an optical output bit signal from the optical filter for said bit leg and operating to convert said optical output bit signal to an electrical bit signal.