Ultrahigh-Speed All-Optical Logic

In collaboration with the JHU Integrated Photonics Laboratory we are developing nonlinear optical devices that perform digital logic functions. These devices can provide extremely high speed serial logical operations well beyond the limits of electronics that can be critical in future communications and signal processing systems. For more information check out our recent publications:

K. Li, H.-F. Ting, M. A. Foster, and A. C. Foster, “High-speed all-optical NAND/AND logic gates using four-wave mixing Bragg scattering,” Opt. Lett. 41, 3320-3323 (2016). (Featured in OSA’s Spotlight on Optics)

Signal Processing Using the Space-Time Duality

We are developing signal processing architectures based on the space-time duality of electromagnetic waves. For example, we have developed a spectrally efficient and resource efficient method for all-optical serial-to-parallel and parallel-to-serial conversion using this approach. For more information check out our recent publications:

Keith G. Petrillo and Mark A. Foster, “Full 160-Gb/s OTDM to 16×10-Gb/s WDM conversion with a single nonlinear interaction,” Opt. Express 21, 508-518 (2013).

Reza Salem, Mark A. Foster, and Alexander L. Gaeta, “Application of space–time duality to ultrahigh-speed optical signal processing,” Adv. Opt. Photon. 5, 274-317 (2013).

Keith G. Petrillo and Mark A. Foster, “Scalable ultrahigh-speed optical transmultiplexer using a time lens,” Opt. Express 19, 14051-14059 (2011).

Ultrafast and Highly Nonlinear Integrated Photonic Devices

We collaborate with the JHU Integrated Photonics Laboratory to develop and validate nonlinear silicon photonic devices for future high-speed communications systems. These devices are low power and extremely compact and are capable of manipulating optical signals over extremely large bandwidths. For more information check out some of our recent publications:

Ke-Yao Wang, Vesselin G. Velev, Kim Fook Lee, Abijith S. Kowligy, Prem Kumar, Mark A. Foster, Amy C. Foster, and Yu-Ping Huang, “Multichannel photon-pair generation using hydrogenated amorphous silicon waveguides,” Opt. Lett. 39, 914-917 (2014).

Keith G. Petrillo, Ke-Yao Wang, Amy C. Foster, and Mark A. Foster, “Highly sensitive ultrafast pulse characterization using hydrogenated amorphous silicon waveguides,” Opt. Express 21, 31229-31238 (2013).

Ke-Yao Wang, Keith G. Petrillo, Mark A. Foster, and Amy C. Foster, “Ultralow-power all-optical processing of high-speed data signals in deposited silicon waveguides,” Opt. Express 20, 24600-24606 (2012).

High-Performance Analog Photonic Links

Analog photonic links are appealing for transmitting RF and microwave signals primarily due to the benefits offered by optical fiber, including low propagation loss, high bandwidth, low size, low cost, low dispersion, and immunity to electromagnetic interference. However, the performance of analog links is currently limited by distortion and noise arising from the optoelectronic devices in the link. We are working to develop analog photonic links that overcome these device limitations using nonlinear optical signal processing. For more information check out our recent publication:

Amit Bhatia, Hong-Fu Ting, and Mark A. Foster, “Linearization of phase-modulated analog optical links using a four-wave mixing comb source,” Opt. Express 22, 30899-30909 (2014).

Communications and Signal Processing using Optical Comb Sources

Optical frequency combs are light sources with precisely equidistant narrow-linewidth tones in the spectral domain. Such sources are of great interest for optical frequency metrology and optical atomic clocks. However, the unique properties of these sources also provide numerous benefits for future optical communications and optical signal processing systems. We are working to develop new sources of optical frequency combs and demonstrate their application in practical optical communications and signal processing architectures. For more information check out our recent publications:

Amit Bhatia, Hong-Fu Ting, and Mark A. Foster, “Linearization of phase-modulated analog optical links using a four-wave mixing comb source,” Opt. Express 22, 30899-30909 (2014).

Yi Yang, Keith G. Petrillo, Hong-Fu Ting, Jacob B. Khurgin, A. Brinton Cooper, and Mark A. Foster, “Experimental demonstration of coherent OCDMA using heterodyne detection,” Opt. Lett. 38, 2351-2353 (2013).