Abstract

Research in the field of high speed optoelectronics has resulted in a number of possible applications that could have impact in the "real-world". At present, however, commercially available ultrashort pulse optical sources are generally expensive and bulky, and have large electrical power and cooling service requirements. This limits present applications of ultrafast technology to primarily scientific markets. In order to widen the impact of these technologies, new sources have to be developed that are commensurate with a wider range of applications within large markets. For many applications, it would also help if they could be made to resemble electrical power supplies. Figure 1 shows an application for ultrafast optoelectronics that nicely illustrates the problem: optical clock distribution. In the implementation of complex multi-processor systems with clock rates in excess of 500 MHz, it is likely that optics can provide systems advantages in low-jitter and low-drift clock synchronization. Electronics designers take for granted the existence of electrical power supplies when designing such systems. It is clear that if short-pulse optical power supplies existed in such a form, it would be very much more likely that they would be used in the "real-world".

© 1995 Optical Society of America