It is shown that a semiconductor laser driven by short electrical current pulses represents a high-speed gate for external optical signals. Based on this finding a novel sampling technique for the detection of light pulses is demonstrated. Conventional semiconductor lasers can be used as sampling gates in a cross correlation arrangement. The time resolution is observed to be better than 10 ps under appropriate injection conditions of the sampling laser. Computer simulations of the sampling system are carried out in the framework of the rate equation model. The theoretical predictions on the time response and the dynamics of the sampling system agree with the experimental observations.