Miniature waveform modulator with full pulse by pulse timing control

Abstract

A miniature waveform modulator is provided to modulate an infrared laser. The miniature waveform modulator outputs a pulse train having different and specified pulse widths, with the pulse train used to modulate the laser. In one embodiment, the pulse train extends over a significant period of time without resorting to generating short pulse trains and combining them. The subject architecture permits the miniature waveform modulator to be compact and implementable on an electronic circuit card. It is significant that the pulse train is generated without software intervention by automatically copying a timing table to a buffer that is automatically read out to a pulse generator. If the buffer size is smaller than that required by the timing table, slices or segments of the timing table are sequentially read out or copied to the buffer, with the next timing table segment transferred to the buffer upon read out of a prior segment. Since there is no or little software intervention, the waveform modulator can be miniaturized and can provide full pulse-by-pulse timing control to accommodate high pulse repetition rates.