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US5353114A
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Opto-electronic interferometic logic
Assignee: Nokia Bell Labs
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Filing: 1992-11-24
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Granted: 1994-10-04
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Expires: 2012-11-24
Abstract
Abstract In this invention, an optical beam is multiplexed with two independently generated electrical pulse signals applied simultaneously to an interferometer having at least two branches to perform electrical-to-optical operations, such as logic, encryption or multiplexing operations. A Y junction interferometer which is coupled to receive a CW or periodic occurring optical beam has at least one set of individually addressable contacts. A first pair of individually addressable contacts is coupled to receive a first independently generated electrical pulse signal of a given frequency and amplitude, and a second pair of individually addressable contacts coupled to the same or another branch of the Y is coupled to receive a second independently generated electrical pulse signal of a given frequency and amplitude which is other than substantially identical to and other than substantially in-phase inverse with the first signal. The output optical signal is a signal representative of optical pulses of the logic, encryption or multiplexing operation.
Inventors
- 👤 Per B. Hansen
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 15:01
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04B; H04B10/00; H04B10/60; G; G02; G02F; G02F1/00; G02F1/01; G02F1/21; G02F1/225; G02F3/00; H03; H03K; H03K19/00; H03K19/02; H03K19/14; H04L; H04L25/00; H04L25/38; H04L25/40; H04L25/49; H04L25/4902; H04L25/493; G02F1/03; G02F1/0327; G02F1/212; G02F2203/00; G02F2203/26
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
68 words
A method of using an interferometer which has first and second electrodes controlling the delays of optical signals in first and second associated branches of said interferometer, respectively said method comprising step of applying to said first and second electrodes first and second time-varying electrical signals, respectively, said electrical signals being other than substantially identical to each other and being other than substantially in-phase inverses of each other.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
68 words
A method of using an interferometer which has first and second electrodes controlling the delays of optical signals in first and second associated branches of said interferometer, respectively said method comprising step of applying to said first and second electrodes first and second time-varying electrical signals, respectively, said electrical signals being other than substantially identical to each other and being other than substantially in-phase inverses of each other.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said interferometer further has a third electrode further controlling the delay of the optical signal in said first branch and wherein said method comprises a further step of applying to said third electrode a third time-varying electrical signal.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
33 words
The invention of claim 1 wherein said first and second signals are respective data signals each at a data rate of B Gbit/s and having a fixed phase offset relative to one another.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
71 words
The invention of claim 3 wherein each of said data signals has first and second levels and wherein said interferometer and said first and second levels are such that the delays induced in a particular branch in response to the first and second levels of the electrical signal applied to the electrode associated with that branch differ by an odd number of half wavelengths of the optical signal in that branch.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
62 words
The invention of claim 3 wherein each of said data signals has first and second levels and wherein said interferometer and said first and second levels are such that the optical signals in the first and second branches combine constructively when the levels of said data signals are the same, and combine destructively when the levels of said data signals are different.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
The invention of claim 1 wherein in said interferometer the optical signals in said first and second branches are combined to provide an optical output signal.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
23 words
The invention of claim 6 wherein in said interferometer an input optical signal is divided and applied to said first and second branches.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
48 words
The invention of claim 3 wherein each of said data signals has first and second levels and wherein said interferometer and said first and second levels are such that an exclusive-OR or exclusive-NOR function of said first and second data signals is provided in said optical output signal.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
73 words
The invention of claim 3 wherein each of said data signals has first and second levels, wherein said method comprises the further step of applying a constant signal to an individual one of said electrodes, and wherein said interferometer, said first and second levels, and the level of said constant signal, are such that an exclusive-NOR or exclusive-OR function of said first and second data signals is provided in said optical output signal.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
33 words
The invention of claim 1 wherein said first and second signals are respective data signals each at a data rate of B Gbit/s and having substantially zero phase offset relative to one another.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
The invention of claim 10 wherein said first signal is a data signal and said second signal is a predefined cryptographic key signal.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
12 words
The invention of claim 6 wherein said interferometer is a Mach-Zehnder interferometer.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
130 words
Apparatus comprising an interferometer having a first optical branch and a second optical branch coupled via an optical Y to an optical output waveguide to receive optical signals from the first and second optical branches, a first pair of electrodes coupled to change the index of refraction of the first optical branch, a second pair of electrodes coupled to change the index of refraction of the second optical branch, and a source of independently generated first and second time varying electrical signals, each of said signals being coupled to a respective one of said first and second pairs of electrodes to provide to the first and second pairs of electrodes electrical signals which are other than substantially identical to each other and other than substantially in-phase inverses of each other.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
130 words
Apparatus comprising an interferometer having a first optical branch and a second optical branch coupled via an optical Y to an optical output waveguide to receive optical signals from the first and second optical branches, a first pair of electrodes coupled to change the index of refraction of the first optical branch, a second pair of electrodes coupled to change the index of refraction of the second optical branch, and a source of independently generated first and second time varying electrical signals, each of said signals being coupled to a respective one of said first and second pairs of electrodes to provide to the first and second pairs of electrodes electrical signals which are other than substantially identical to each other and other than substantially in-phase inverses of each other.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
38 words
The interferometer of claim 13 further comprising delay means coupled to said first pair of electrodes to delay the electrical signal to said first pairs of electrodes relative to the electrical signal to said second pairs of electrodes.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
25 words
The interferometer of claim 14 wherein the signals provided by the source of independently generated electrical signals are each at a rate of B Gbit/s.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
22 words
The interferometer of claim 14 wherein the source of independently generated electrical signals provide electrical signals which are of substantially equal magnitude.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
22 words
The interferometer of claim 13 wherein the signals provided by the source of independently generated electrical signals are substantially equal in magnitude.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
77 words
The interferometer of claim 15 further comprising a source of optical signals coupled to direct optical energy to said first and second optical branches simultaneously, the first and second time varying electrical signals from said source causing changes in the index of refraction of the branches to cause the optical energy in the waveguides to experience optical phase shifts which add constructively and destructively in the optical output waveguide to form an optical signal of 2-B Gbit/s.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
15 words
The interferometer of claim 18 wherein said source of optical signals is a CW source.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
33 words
The interferometer of claim 18 further comprising a receiver coupled to receive the optical signal of 2-B Gbit/s from the optical output waveguide and convert said received optical signal to an electrical signal.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
95 words
The interferometer of claim 18 wherein the signals provided by the source of independently generated electrical signals are other than substantially identical to each other, and a receiver coupled to receive the optical signal from the optical output waveguide to convert the received optical signal into two streams of electrical signals, one of the streams being similar to the first time varying electrical signal from the source of independently generated electrical signals and the other of the streams being similar to the second time varying electrical signal from the source of independently generated electrical signals.
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1997-10-03 | 1998-04-04 | 1998-10-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2001-10-03 | 2002-04-04 | 2002-10-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
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