Bistable optically clocked optical signal regenerator

Claim 1

An optical signal regenerator comprising: an optical coupler having a first input for an optical information signal, a second input for optical clock pulses and an output for a combined signal, an optical clock signal generator which generates the optical clock pulses and applies them to the second input and including power control means which controls the power of the optical clock pulses to a level just below the bistable threshold of the laser amplifier; a resonant laser amplifier located downstream of the output of the coupler and arranged to receive the combined signal and, in use, output a regenerated optical information signal; and means for applying a bias current to the laser amplifier, in use, biasing the amplifier to a level below its lasing threshold with the power of the optical clock pulses being just below the bistable threshold of the amplifier, so that, when an optical information signal is fed into the first input during the application of an optical clock pulse to the second input the bistable threshold of the amplifier is exceeded causing a sudden jump in the power of the optical output of the amplifier to provide a regenerated optical information signal.

Claim 10

A method for achieving optical signal regeneration comprising: biasing a resonant laser amplifier below its lasing threshold and coupling into its lasing volume both (a) optical information pulses and (b) optical clock pulses; and causing said laser amplifier to operate in a bistable signal regeneration mode describing a hypteresis loop on a plot of output versus input optical power which has both low and high output power states with bistable switching to a first output state occurring upon the initial concurrent presence of both an information pulse and a clock pulse and with subsequent bistable switching to the second output state occurring when such clock pulse is terminated.

Claim 11

A method for achieving optical signal regeneration comprising: biasing a resonant laser amplifier below its lasing threshold and coupling into its lasing volume both (a) optical information pulses and (b) optical clock pulses; and causing said laser amplifier to operate in a bistable signal regeneration mode describing a hypteresis loop on a plot of output versus input optical power which has both low and high output power states with bistable switching to a first output state occurring upon the initial concurrent presence of both an information pulse and a clock pulse and with subsequent bistable switching to the second output state occurring when such clock pulse is terminated.