Terahertz repetition rate optical computing systems, and communication systems and logic elements using cross-phase modulation based optical processors

• US 5,463,485 A
• Filed: 06/15/1994
• Issued: 10/31/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Patrice Baldeck, Ping-Pei Ho, Robert R. Alfano
• Original Assignee: Patrice Baldeck, Ping-Pei Ho, Robert R. Alfano
• Inventors: Baldeck, Patrice, Alfano, Robert R., Ho, Ping-Pei
• Primary Examiner(s): Lerner, Martin
• Application Number:
  US08/259,877
• Time in Patent Office: 503 Days
• Field of Search: 359/107, 359/108, 359/326, 359/327, 359/330, 359/331, 359/332
• US Class Current: 359/107
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/293 by another light beam, i.e. opto-optical deflection
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/3511 Self-focusing or self-trapping of light; Light-induced birefringence; Induced optical Kerr-effect
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/3515 All-optical modulation, gating, switching, e.g. control of a light beam by another light beam G02F1/353, G02F1/37, G02F1/39 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2/004 Transferring the modulation of modulated light, i.e. transferring the information from one optical carrier of a first wavelength to a second optical carrier of a second wavelength, e.g. all-optical wavelength converter
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2/02 Frequency-changing of light, e.g. by quantum counters
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 3/00 Optical logic elements; Optical bistable devices

Abstract

Optical communication systems, optical computing systems and optical logic elements which rely on the phenomina of cross-phase modulation to alter and control, either or simultaneously, the spectral, temporal or/and spatial properties of ultrashort light pulses for processing information with high speed repetition rates. A weak beam of ultrashort light pulses is modulated by an intense beam of ultrashort light pulses by copropagating both beams through a non-linear medium such that cross-phase modulation effects are realized.

Claims

1. An optical AND gate for performing an AND function on a first beam of light having intense pulses at a first frequency and a second beam of light having weak pulses of light at a second frequency, said optical AND gate comprising:

a) means for combining the two beams to form a third beam;

b) a non-linear medium disposed along the path of the third beam, the light passed through the non-linear medium comprising a fourth beam which includes pulses of the frequency of the first beam, pulses of the frequency of the second beam and pulses of a third frequency, said pulses of the third frequency being pulses of the second frequency which have been frequency modulated by the first beam using cross-phase modulation; and

c) filter means for removing pulses of the first frequency and pulses of the second frequency.