Abstract

Many applications share a common need in optical information processing of ultrafast waveforms (e.g., synthesis, storage, and detection). We show that “information processing with optical nonlinearities” closely resembles traditional linear optical information processing techniques, such as those learned from Fourier optics in the space domain. Nonlinear optics combined with ultrashort pulse lasers extends these concepts into time domain allowing the conversion of optical information between the space and the time domains. In this paper, we will provide an overview of ultrafast information processing techniques using optical nonlinearities that have been demonstrated by our group and others in recent years.

© 2003 Optical Society of America