Mach-Zehnder modulators (MZMs) numbered MZM #1 to MZM #n, said MZMs exhibiting nonlinearity between an input electrical domain signal and an output optical domain signal;

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 domain signal;

means utilizing said first output optical signal and the nonlinearities of MZMs numbered MZM #2 to said MZM #n to produce a final output voltage waveform, 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) an increased signal temporal resolution,

(iv) an increased small signal dynamic range,

(v) an increased vertical resolution for small signals,

(vi) an increased vertical resolution for large signals,

(vii) a reduced noise on small signals,

(viii) a reduced noise on large signals and

(ix) an increased bandwidth.