Patent ID: 8456336

Claim:
A photonic Analog-to-Digital Converter (pADC), comprising: an optical phase modulator that is configured to receive an rf signal, an optical pulse signal, and to output a phase-modulated optical pulse signal as a result thereof; a plurality of optical switches connected in a series relationship to each other along a signal path, the plurality of optical switches on the signal path configured to perform optical switching of the phase-modulated optical pulse signal output by the phase modulator in accordance with the series relationship by which the plurality of optical switches on the signal path are connected to each other; a plurality of optical switches connected in a series relationship to each other along a reference path, the plurality of optical switches on the reference path configured to perform optical switching of a reference optical clock signal in accordance with the series relationship by which the plurality of optical switches on the reference path are connected to each other; a plurality of I/Q demodulators respectively connected to receive switched outputs from the plurality of optical switches on the signal path and to receive switched outputs from the plurality of optical switches on the reference path, in which each of the plurality of I/Q demodulators is configured to perform I and Q demodulation of the received switched outputs from the plurality of optical switches on the signal path at timings corresponding to the switched outputs of the plurality of optical switches on the reference path, and in which each of the plurality of I/Q demodulators is configured to output an I demodulated signal and a Q demodulated signal as a result thereof; and a plurality of pairs of gated photodetectors respectively connected to the plurality of I/Q demodulators, in which one of each of the pairs of gated photodetectors receives the I demodulated signal output from the respective I/Q demodulator and the other one of each of the pairs of gated photodetectors receives the Q demodulated signal output from the respective I/Q demodulator, and in which each of the pairs of gated photodetectors is configured to perform photodetection of the respective I demodulated signal and the Q demodulated signal output by the respective I/Q demodulator.