Abstract

For the realization of the ultrahigh-speed optical communications with soliton transmission, optical pulse-pattern signal measurements with sufficient time resolution are needed. Such measurements should satisfy three requirements: wide bandwidth, high sensitivity and polarization independence. Conventional streak cameras or recent all-optical sampling techniques¹ cannot satisfy all of these requirements simultaneously. We propose a new optoelectronic technique to measure optical pulse-pattern signals at bit rates approaching 100 Gbit/s. In this technique, optical signals are first converted to electrical signals with a fast photodetector and then measured optically by using electrooptic (EO) sampling.

© 1995 IEEE