Optical time division multiplexing/demultiplexing system
View Patent ↗A multiplexing/demultiplexing system has a multiplexor that includes a first plurality of optical switches having a plurality of outputs and a first plurality of optical delay elements coupled to the optical switches. A source of optical light is coupled to the delay elements, and an optical combiner is coupled to the plurality of outputs and a source of framing pulses. A demultiplexor includes a first and second splitter, and a threshold detector coupled to the first splitter. The demultiplexor further includes a second plurality of optical delay elements coupled to the threshold detector, and a second plurality of optical switches coupled to the second splitter and the second plurality of delay elements.
1. A multiplexing/demultiplexing system comprising:
a multiplexor comprising:
a first plurality of optical switches having a plurality of inputs to receive optical pulses and having a plurality of outputs;
a first plurality of optical delay elements coupled to and selectively actuating said optical switches;
a source of optical light coupled to said delay elements; and
an optical combiner coupled to said plurality of outputs and a source of framing pulses.
2. The multiplexing/demultiplexing system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a demultiplexor comprising:
a first splitter;
a second splitter coupled to said first splitter;
a threshold detector coupled to said first splitter;
a second plurality of optical delay elements coupled to said threshold detector; and
a second plurality of optical switches coupled to said second splitter and said second plurality of delay elements.
3. The multiplexing/demultiplexing system of claim 2 , wherein said threshold detector detects the framing pulses.
4. The multiplexing/demultiplexing system of claim 2 , wherein said second plurality of optical switches comprise a saturable absorber switch having a saturable absorber.
5. The multiplexing/demultiplexing system of claim 4 , wherein said saturable absorber comprises quantum dots.
6. The multiplexing/demultiplexing system of claim 2 , wherein a first delay element of said second plurality of optical delay elements has a first time delay of X, and a second delay element of said second plurality of optical delay elements has a second time delay of 2X.
7. The multiplexing/demultiplexing system of claim 2 , further comprising a plurality of amplifiers coupled to said second plurality of optical delay elements.
8. The multiplexing/demultiplexing system of claim 1 , wherein said first plurality of optical switches comprise a saturable absorber switch.
9. The multiplexing/demultiplexing system of claim 8 , wherein said saturable absorber switch comprises a saturable absorber having quantum dots.
10. The multiplexing/demultiplexing system of claim 9 , wherein said quantum dots are comprised of one or more of the group of Lead Sulfide, Lead Selenide, Indium Phosphide and Indium Arsenide.
11. The multiplexing/demultiplexing system of claim 9 , wherein said saturable absorber comprises cladding coupled to said quantum dots.
12. The multiplexing/demultiplexing system of claim 9 , wherein said quantum dots are manufactured using a colloidal growth process.
13. The multiplexing/demultiplexing system of claim 1 , wherein said first plurality of optical switches comprise a Nonlinear Optical Loop Mirror.
14. The multiplexing/demultiplexing system of claim 1 , wherein said first plurality of optical switches comprise a Mach-Zender interferometer.
15. The multiplexing/demultiplexing system of claim 1 , wherein said source of optical light is a laser.
16. The multiplexing/demultiplexing system of claim 1 , wherein said first plurality of optical switches have a plurality of control beam inputs, and said first plurality of optical delay elements are coupled to said control beam inputs.
17. The multiplexing/demultiplexing system of claim 1 , wherein said multiplexor has a plurality of time slots, and said first plurality of optical delay elements have time differences substantially equal to said plurality of time slots.
18. An optical multiplexor comprising:
an optical switch array having a plurality of inputs to receive optical signal pulses and a plurality of outputs;
a plurality of delay elements coupled to and selectively actuating said switch array;
a laser coupled to said delay elements; and
an optical combiner coupled to said optical switch array outputs and having an input to receive optical framing pulses.
19. The multiplexor of claim 18 , wherein said optical switch array comprises a plurality of saturable absorber optical switches.
20. The multiplexor of claim 19 , wherein each of said saturable absorber switches comprises a saturable absorber having quantum dots.
21. The multiplexor of claim 20 , wherein said quantum dots are comprised of one or more of the group of Lead Sulfide, Lead Selenide, Indium Phosphide and Indium Arsenide.
22. The multiplexor of claim 20 , wherein said saturable absorber comprises cladding coupled to said quantum dots.
23. The multiplexor of claim 20 , wherein said quantum dots are manufactured using a colloidal growth process.
24. The multiplexor of claim 20 , wherein each of said saturable absorber switches comprises a control beam input, and said plurality of delay elements are coupled to said control beam input.
25. The multiplexor of claim 18 , wherein said optical combiner generates a time division multiplexed output signal.
26. An optical demultiplexor comprising:
an optical switch array;
a first splitter having an input to receive a multiplexed optical signal;
a threshold detector coupled to said first splitter;
a second splitter coupled to said first splitter and said optical switch array;
a third splitter coupled to said threshold detector and said optical switch array.
27. The demultiplexor of claim 26 , wherein said optical switch array comprises a plurality of saturable absorber optical switches.
28. The demultiplexor of claim 27 , wherein each of said saturable absorber switches comprises a saturable absorber having quantum dots.
29. The demultiplexor of claim 28 , wherein said quantum dots are comprised of one or more of the group of Lead Sulfide, Lead Selenide, Indium Phosphide and Indium Arsenide.
30. The demultiplexor of claim 28 , wherein said saturable absorber comprises cladding coupled to said quantum dots.
31. The demultiplexor of claim 28 , wherein said quantum dots are manufactured using a colloidal growth process.
32. The demultiplexor of claim 27 , further comprising a plurality of delay elements coupled to said third splitter.
33. The demultiplexor of claim 32 , wherein each of said saturable absorber switches comprises a control beam input, and said plurality of delay elements are coupled to said control beam input.
34. A method of multiplexing an optical signal comprising:
receiving a plurality of optical input signals;
receiving a framing pulse signal;
inputting each of said optical input signals to an input of a respective one of a plurality of optical switches;
providing a light source to a plurality of delay elements;
inputting an output of each of said delay elements to a control beam input of the respective one of the optical switches; and
combining outputs of said plurality of switches with the framing pulse signal.
35. The method of claim 34 , wherein said optical switches are saturable absorber switches.
36. A method of demultiplexing an optical signal comprising:
receiving a multiplexed optical signal having framing pulses and data pulses;
dividing the framing pulses from the data pulses;
splitting the framing pulses;
delaying at least one of the split framing pulses;
inputting said split framing pulses to a control beam input of an optical switch; and
inputting the data pulses to a switch input of the optical switch.
37. The method of claim 36 , wherein said optical switch is a saturable absorber switch.