Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, an optical switch includes a photoconductor body including a first edge and an opposite second edge, a first end and an opposite second end. The first edge is configured to receive an electrical input signal and the second edge is configured to deliver an electrical output signal. The photoconductor body is configured to have an electrically ON state that is activated by an optical signal and an electrically OFF state that is activated by an absence of the optical signal. A direction from the first end to the second end defines a longitudinal direction. The direction from the first edge to the second edge defines a first direction that is orthogonal to the longitudinal direction. A first dimension between the first edge and the second edge along the first direction decreases from the first end to the second end.

Abstract: An acquisition stage receives a digital input signal and generates therefrom a first digital signal and a second digital signal complementary thereto. First and second processing stages receive the first and second digital signals and generate therefrom first and second analog signals in time with first and second complementary clock signals. An output stage generates an internal clock signal equivalent to one of: the first clock signal phase shifted by a duration of a transient occurring during a period of the first clock signal, or the second clock signal phase shifted by a duration of a transient occurring during a period of the second clock signal. The output stage produces an analog output signal equal to the first analog signal when the internal clock signal is at a first logic level, and equal to the second analog signal when the internal clock signal is at a second logic level.

Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, an optical switch includes a photoconductor body including a first edge and an opposite second edge, a first end and an opposite second end. The first edge is configured to receive an electrical input signal and the second edge is configured to deliver an electrical output signal. The photoconductor body is configured to have an electrically ON state that is activated by an optical signal and an electrically OFF state that is activated by an absence of the optical signal. A direction from the first end to the second end defines a longitudinal direction. The direction from the first edge to the second edge defines a first direction that is orthogonal to the longitudinal direction. A first dimension between the first edge and the second edge along the first direction decreases from the first end to the second end.

Abstract: An acquisition stage receives a digital input signal and generates therefrom a first digital signal and a second digital signal complementary thereto. First and second processing stages receive the first and second digital signals and generate therefrom first and second analog signals in time with first and second complementary clock signals. An output stage generates an internal clock signal equivalent to one of: the first clock signal phase shifted by a duration of a transient occurring during a period of the first clock signal, or the second clock signal phase shifted by a duration of a transient occurring during a period of the second clock signal. The output stage produces an analog output signal equal to the first analog signal when the internal clock signal is at a first logic level, and equal to the second analog signal when the internal clock signal is at a second logic level.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a device for generating a clock signal including a first photoresistor coupling a capacitive output node to a node receiving a first potential. A second photoresistor couples the capacitive node to a node receiving a second potential. The first and second photoresistors receive the same optical pulses of a mode-locked laser at instants in time offset by a first delay.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a device for converting an optical pulse to an electronic pulse includes a photoresistor having first and second terminals and being capable of receiving a pulsed laser signal arising from a mode-locked laser source The first terminal is linked to a node for applying a reference potential via a resistive element and a capacitive element connected in parallel. The second terminal is connected to a node for applying a supply potential.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a device for converting an optical pulse to an electronic pulse includes a photoresistor having first and second terminals and being capable of receiving a pulsed laser signal arising from a mode-locked laser source The first terminal is linked to a node for applying a reference potential via a resistive element and a capacitive element connected in parallel. The second terminal is connected to a node for applying a supply potential.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a device for generating a clock signal including a first photoresistor coupling a capacitive output node to a node receiving a first potential. A second photoresistor couples the capacitive node to a node receiving a second potential. The first and second photoresistors receive the same optical pulses of a mode-locked laser at instants in time offset by a first delay.

Abstract: An optical modulator includes an optical waveguide including at least a first PN junction phase shifter and a second PN junction phase shifter. A driver circuit drives operation of the first and second PN junction phase shifters in response to a pulse amplitude modulated (PAM) analog signal having 2n levels. The PAM analog signal is generated by a digital to analog converter that receives an n-bit input signal. In an implementation, the optical waveguide and PN junction phase shifters are formed on a first integrated circuit chip and the driver circuit is formed on a second integrated circuit chip that is stacked on and electrically connected to the first integrated circuit chip.

Abstract: A multiplying digital to analog converter includes first and second inputs for receiving first and second differential input signals. A differential amplifier has first and second differential input nodes and first and second differential output nodes. A first capacitor is coupled in series with a first switch between the first differential input node and the first input. The first capacitor is further coupled to at least one reference voltage supply node via one or more further switches. A second capacitor is coupled between the first differential input node and the first differential output node. A third capacitor is coupled between the first differential input node and the first input.

Abstract: The method and device include the filtering and the analog/digital conversion of an intermediate signal. The intermediate signal is processed by a filtering and analog/digital conversion circuit that is configurable using switched passive capacitor technology. The various configurations successively adopted by the circuit provide filtering and analog/digital conversion to be successively carried out.

Abstract: Disclosed is an analog to digital converter with several cascade-connected interpolation and selection circuits. The function of an interpolation circuit is to produce five pairs of output signals from three pairs of input signals and select three pairs from among the five pairs to apply them to the next stage. Each pair comprises two interpolation signals that vary symmetrically and monotonically as a function of the voltage Vin, the signals of one pair being equal when the voltage Vin is equal to a reference voltage associated with this pair. There are five reference voltage associated with the five pairs. Among these five reference voltages, the three reference voltages (and therefore also the three corresponding pairs of signals) that most closely surround the input voltage Vin are selected. The reference voltages are increasingly closer together as the operation progresses in the succession of cascade-connected stages.

Abstract: The invention concerns precision analogue-digital converters. For the fine conversion, supplying the low order bits (B0 to Bk) for an analogue voltage Vin to be converted, three ordinary differential amplifiers (ADA, ADB, ADC) are used connected to three voltage references VR(i-1), VR(i), VR(i+1). These three amplifiers supply differential output voltages (VAa, VAb, VBa, VBb, VCa, VCb) that vary as a function of Vin according to normal transfer functions for differential amplifiers. Intersection points of these various transfer curves are detected in interpolation circuits (firstly CIT1, then CIT2, etc). These intersection points are used as intermediate voltage references between the main references. Comparators (CMP0 . . . CMPk), placed at the output of interpolation circuits supply bits (B0 to Bk) indicating the value of Vin with respect to each of these intermediate references.