Patent ID: 7893854
Filing Date: 2011-02-22
Classification: G02F

Abstract:
1. An optical digital to analog converter for converting a digital signal to an analog optical signal comprising: a laser; a plurality of optical switches each responsive to a respective one of a plurality of bits of the digital signal to selectively transmit light from the laser, wherein the plurality of optical switches comprises a plurality of intraband quantum-well absorbers that operate with optical transitions between a lower mini-band of Γ states and an upper mini-band of a mixture of both Γ states and X states; and a plurality of light combiners connected in a one-to-one fashion with the optical switches and each having a gain of approximately 3 dB, receiving any light transmitted by the respective optical switch, and providing a respective output signal, the plurality of light combiners arranged in series such that the output of a last light combiner in the series is indicative of the digital signal.