摘要 |
OPTICAL SIGNAL REGENERATOR An optical signal regenerator comprises an optical coupler (1) having a first input (2) for an optical information signal, a second input (3) for optical clock pulses and an output (4) for a combined signal, and a resonant laser amplifier (5) downstream of the output (4) of the coupler (1) and arranged to receive the combined signal and, in use, output a regenerated optical information signal. The bias current applied to the laser amplifier (5), in use; biases the amplifier (5) to a level below its lasing threshold, and the power of the optical clock pulses is just below the bistable threshold of the amplifier, so that, when an optical information signal is fed into the first input (2) during the application of an optical clock pulse to the second input (3), the bistable threshold of the amplifier (5) is exceeded causing a sudden jump in the power of the optical output of the amplifier to provide a regenerated optical information signal. |