High-speed optical Fourier transformer

A new type of high-speed signal processing or analyzing device-the picosecond Fourier transformer-is proposed. The device can be used to obtain the Fourier transform of the time-dependent intensity of an optical signal. The device makes use of the spatially distributed electrooptic modulator or deflector, and has the potential for terahertz bandwidth and picosecond time resolution. Practical devices are considered and their performances (bandwidth, frequency resolution, etc.) are discussed. The operation of the proposed device is demonstrated in the microsecond range by a preliminary experiment using LiTaO 3 e-o deflectors.