Optical logic device

Abstract

An optical logic device based on the time-shift-keying architecture is described in which digital logic functions are realized by applying appropriate signal pulses to a nonlinear shift or 'chirp' element whose output is supplied to a dispersive element capable of supporting soliton propagation. In an optical fiber realization of the optical logic device, two orthogonally polarized pulses are supplied to the combination of a moderately birefringent fiber acting as the nonlinear chirp element and a polarization maintaining fiber acting as the soliton dispersive delay element having a anomolous group velocity dispersion at the signal wavelengths of interest. A nonlinear frequency shift is created in one of the pulses in the former element through cross-phase modulation and, in turn, the frequency shift is translated into a temporal shift of the affected pulse in the latter element. These devices operate at switching energies approaching 1pJ.