Photonic precision delay component for high dynamic delay range

Abstract

An electronic-photonic integrated precision delay-control component comprises a coarse-delay switching unit that is configured to assume one of a plurality of selectable switching states and to feed, in a given one of the switching states, an optical input signal forward to at least one of a plurality of selectable optical coarse-delay paths. A controllable fine-delay unit is configured to subject the optical input signal to a selectable fine group-delay amount that is tuneable between zero and a maximum fine group-delay amount. The coarse-delay switching unit and the fine-delay unit are arranged in a series connection to control application of a respective total group-delay amount to the optical input signal on any selectable total delay path, the total group-delay amount corresponding to a sum of the respective coarse group-delay amount and of the selectable fine group-delay amount. Co-integration of electronic components allows a complete pulse train generation on one chip with low sensitivity to perturbation, low drift and low manufacturing costs. A desired delay of individual pulses of the optical input signal can be tuned on chip with particularly high precision at particularly high pulse repetition frequencies.