Optical pulse generator for generating multiple electromagnetic pulses from a single input pulse, e.g. for target sensing or secure communications, has splitter for providing number of EMR transmission paths for received pulses

摘要

The multiple pulse generator includes a splitter (6) for splitting each of a number of discrete optical pulses (24,28,32) received from an optical radiation source (2) along several transmission paths (7-14) such as optical fiber delay lines. Each of the transmission paths has physical characteristics for modifying EMR pulses passing through the paths relative to the input pulses. A combiner (16) combines the modified split pulses from the transmission paths to produce output pulses (26,30,34) that are transmitted along a combined output transmission path. The optical fibre delay lines have different lengths/delays so that each input pulse produces a train of output pulses. The delays may be selected to produce one single output pulse of longer duration, or some of the delays may be equal to produce other pulse shapes. The delay lines may also have switches to enable or disable individual paths.