Patent ID: 8441383

Claim:
A photonic digital-to-analog converter (pDAC) system, comprising: a mode locked laser configured for outputting a digital optical pulse train; an optical splitter, the splitter being connected to the laser, the splitter configured for receiving and splitting an optical pulse of the digital optical pulse train into multiple optical pulses; a plurality of reflective semiconductor optical amplifiers, the amplifiers being connected to the splitter via a plurality of optical paths, the amplifiers being modulated, the amplifiers configured for receiving the multiple optical pulses via the plurality of optical paths, the amplifiers configured for amplifying the multiple optical pulses by increasing amplitudes of the multiple optical pulses and providing the amplified multiple optical pulses to the splitter, at least two optical paths included in the plurality of optical paths having different path lengths, wherein the splitter is configured for receiving the amplified multiple optical pulses and outputting an analog optical pulse train based upon the amplified multiple optical pulses.