Feature

Optical Signal Processing Functions in Laser Diodes: Frequency Division and Multiplication

Paul Phelan, Gerald Farrell, and John Hegarty

Because laser diodes are attractive optical sources in many communications and information processing systems, there is now great interest in optical signal processing functions with potential to replace those currently performed electronically, especially if they can be performed by laser diodes. One such function is optical clock extraction, which involves obtaining an optical clock from an optical data signal. Recently, the self-pulsation frequency of a diode laser has been shown to synchronize to the bit-rate of an injected optical signal to extract an optical clock.