US 11,868,025 B2
Temporal resolution and fidelity enhancement of arbitrary waveforms
Ryan D. Muir, Livermore, CA (US); Vincent J. Hernandez, Brisbane, CA (US); Brandon W. Buckley, Walnut Creek, CA (US); Daniel E. Mittelberger, Livermore, CA (US); and John E. Heebner, San Ramon, CA (US)
Assigned to LAWRENCE LIVERMORE NATIONAL SECURITY, LLC, Livermore, CA (US)
Filed by Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC, Livermora, CA (US)
Filed on Oct. 21, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/075,953.
Prior Publication US 2022/0121085 A1, Apr. 21, 2022
Int. Cl. H03M 1/00 (2006.01); G02F 7/00 (2006.01); G02F 1/225 (2006.01); H04B 10/556 (2013.01); G02F 1/21 (2006.01)
CPC G02F 7/00 (2013.01) [G02F 1/2255 (2013.01); G02F 1/2257 (2013.01); H04B 10/556 (2013.01); G02F 1/212 (2021.01)] 11 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus, comprising:
Mach-Zehnder modulators (MZMs) numbered MZM #1 to MZM #n;
a waveform source for applying a first voltage waveform to a first optical arm of said MZM #1;
a laser source for producing laser light and configured to direct said laser light into the two arms of at least said MZM #1 to produce a first output optical signal;
means utilizing said first output optical signal and MZMs numbered MZM #2 to said MZM #n to produce a final output voltage waveform, wherein:
said means utilizing said first output optical signal and MZMs numbered MZM #2 to said MZM #n comprise said MZMs numbered MZM #2 to said MZM #n configured in a cascaded configuration with MZM #1, wherein said first voltage waveform is only applied to said first arm of said MZM #1 and wherein said first output optical signal is detected and amplified by a first amplified detector to produce a first amplified voltage waveform that is applied to an optical arm of said MZM #2; or wherein
said means utilizing said first output optical signal and MZMs numbered MZM #2 to said MZM #n comprise said MZMs numbered MZM #2 to said MZM #n configured in a series configuration with MZM #1, wherein said first voltage waveform is applied to an optical arm of all said MZMs; and
wherein, compared to said input voltage, said output voltage waveform comprises at least one of
(i) a shorter rise time,
(ii) a shorter fall time,
(iii) increased signal temporal resolution,
(iv) increased small signal dynamic range,
(v) increased vertical resolution for small signals,
(vi) increased vertical resolution for large signals,
(vii) reduced noise on small signals,
(viii) reduced noise on large signals and
(ix) increased bandwidth.