Optical clock repetition rate multiplier

Abstract

Summary form only given. We report a short pulse, high repetition rate laser source that is capable of producing 15 ps pulse trains, at a repetition frequency of up to 34.68 GHz. The principle of its operation relies on a master-slave oscillator arrangement. In this instance the master oscillator is provided by a 5.78 GHz gain switched DFB, to which a fiber ring laser is synchronised. This arrangement of obtaining the high repetition rate optical clock signal presents two significant advantages. (a) The high repetition frequency optical clock requires a low frequency and therefore less expensive rf signal generator. (b) The low repetition frequency rf and optical signal may be used as the universal reference signal of all the high repetition frequency optical clocks in the optical logic circuit. In this way data may be introduced into the logic circuit at a low rate, so that it is compatible with commercially available modulators.