Abstract

We have employed the recently developed technique of real-time optical waveform convolution in inhomogeneously broadened absorbers [ Appl. Phys. Lett. 45, 714 ( 1984)] to perform mixed binary multiplication of digital optical signals. We demonstrate that an output signal representing the mixed binary product of up to three numbers encoded into discrete input signals can be generated in a single convolution cycle. We have studied the effect of material relaxation on output signal shapes and intensities. We find that mixed binary product signals up to ∼0.5% as intense as the input signals can be expected in weakly relaxing materials. This method of all-optical multiplication may be useful in high-speed applications, since its bit rate is limited fundamentally only by the inhomogeneous absorption bandwidth of the material used.

© 1986 Optical Society of America

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