Optoelectronic transversal filter

The development of a 1 GHz bandwidth, 15 tap transversal filter with optical fibre delays and controllable bipolar weights set with variable sensitivity GaAs metal-semiconductor-metal photodetectors is reported. The performance of the filter is demonstrated by configuring it as tunable bandpass filter. The use of optoelectronically set bipolar weights represents a significant advance over previously demonstrated optical fibre transversal filters.