Abstract: A method of photonic analog-to-digital conversion including the steps of using an analog signal to modulate a laser, splitting the modulated optical output into 2N paths, attenuating the different paths along a gradient, then splitting each path again and recombining with an adjacent path in such a way that only one path has significant energy. An implementation architecture is also provided which includes a laser source, a modulator for modulating the laser source in accordance with an analog input signal, a first splitter section for splitting the modulated optical output into 2N paths, and for attenuating the different paths along a gradient, an interferometer section for splitting each path again and for recombining the signals in such a way that only one path has significant energy, and a decoder section for outputting a digital word corresponding to the analog input signal.