OPTICAL ANALOG-TO-DIGITAL CONVERTER Russian patent published in 2008 - IPC G02F7/00 

FIELD: physics.

SUBSTANCE: optical converter includes optical switches and optical reverse counter that contain optical threshold devices based on optically coupled waveguides, optical delay lines, optical splitters. At that, output of optical clock generator is connected to input of optical Y-splitter, output of each of N bits of the optical reverse counter is connected to input of corresponding optical Y-splitter in the group of N optical Y-splitters, outputs of the optical reverse counter are connected to inputs of optical Y-splitters, first outputs of optical Y-splitters are data outputs of said optical analog-to-digital converter.

EFFECT: provision of digital conversion of optical analog signals to N-bit binary code with operational speed that is potentially achievable for all-optical data processing devices.

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