An All-Optical Transformer From Differential NRZ Data to Ultra-Wideband Pulse Stream

We propose and experimentally demonstrate a compact and cost-effective scheme based on a fiber Sagnac structure to realize real time conversion from differential nonreturn-to-zero (NRZ) data to ultra-wideband (UWB) pulse stream. The proposed conversion system for the UWB signal generation consists of a single-wavelength laser, a phase modulator, several polarization controllers, and optical couplers. Due to the optical interference between the two phase-modulated light waves with slight phase difference in the Sagnac loop, two sharp optical pulses with opposite polarities are obtained. With proper time delay, a UWB monocycle pulse stream is generated from the original differential NRZ data. Our proposed method gives a reliable, easy, and low-cost transformer from differential NRZ signal to UWB pulse stream, and no high-speed arbitrary waveform generator (AWG) is required in this all-optical transformer.