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International Topical Meeting on Microwave Photonics

Analog time-reversal of optically-carried RF signals with a rare earth ion-doped processor with broadband potential

Anne Louchet-Chauvet

Published Oct 1, 2018• 3 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We propose a novel analog architecture for time-reversing optically carried RF signals, based on a rare-earth atomic processor. Our scheme combines long processed signals duration (> 10 μs), potentially GHz bandwidth, direct access to the signal field amplitude, and compatibility with phase-modulated signals. The combination of these features makes this architecture ideal for refocusing RF signals distorted by their propagation in a reverberating environment.

DOI
10.1109/mwp.2018.8552903

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We propose a novel analog architecture for time-reversing optically carried RF signals, based on a rare-earth atomic processor. Our scheme combines long processed signals duration (> 10 μs), potentially GHz bandwidth, direct access to the signal field amplitude, and compatibility with phase-modulated signals. The combination of these features makes this architecture ideal for refocusing RF signals distorted by their propagation in a reverberating environment.
Achieving low-latency time-reversal of broadband radiofrequency signals is crucial for reliable communications in dynamic, uncontrolled environments. However, existing approaches are either digitally assisted-making broadband extension challenging-or limited to amplitude modulation. In this work, we report the very first, to our knowledge, experimental realization of a fully analog, phase-preserving time-reversal architecture for optically carried radiofrequency signals. The method exploits the exceptional coherence properties of rare-earth ion-doped materials and leverages the well-established photon echo mechanism, widely used in quantum technologies. While our demonstration is conducted with a modest bandwidth, we identify the fundamental cause of this limitation and propose solutions for future scalability.
Based on the similarity of paraxial diffraction and dispersion mathematical descriptions, the temporal imaging of optical pulses combines linear dispersive filters and quadratic phase modulations operating as time lenses. We consider programming a dispersive filter near atomic resonance in rare earth ion-doped crystals, which leads to unprecedented high values of dispersive power. This filter is used in an approximate imaging scheme, combining a single time lens and a single dispersive section and operating as a time-reversing device, with potential applications in radio-frequency signal processing. This scheme is closely related to a three-pulse photon echo with chirped pulses, but the connection with temporal imaging and dispersive filtering emphasizes new features.
The time-reversal (TR) protocol we implement in an erbium-doped YSO crystal is based on photon echoes but avoids the storage of the signal to be processed. Unlike other approaches implying digitizing or highly dispersive optical fibers, the proposed scheme reaches the μs range and potentially offers high bandwidth, both required for RADAR applications. In this Letter, we demonstrate faithful reversal of arbitrary pulse sequences with 6 μs duration and 10 MHz bandwidth. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of TR via linear filtering in a programmable material.
We propose a purely analog way to time reverse optically-carried radiofrequency signals. Taking advantage of the time-space duality, we implement an approximate temporal imaging device that combines a time-lens and a single dispersive line. For military applications, this dispersive element must offer a group delay dispersion high enough to time-reverse μs-long signals. We propose to use spectral hole burning to tailor the absorption profile of erbium ions embedded in a crystalline lattice of yttrium orthosilicate. This way, we achieve a group delay dispersion 105larger than reached with km-long dispersive fibers, allowing us to extend the time-reversal process from the ns-range to the μs-range.
Rare earth ions have exceptionally long coherence times, making them an excellent candidate for quantum information processing. A key part of this processing is quantum state transfer. We demonstrate that high fidelity quantum state transfer between two ensembles of rare earth ions can be achieved by time reversing the connecting optical quantum channel, and suggest using a gradient echo memory to perform this time reversal. We demonstrate that the superradiant coupling between the ensemble of ions and an intermediate cavity coupled to the optical channel can lead to higher transfer fidelities than would otherwise be possible with an individual ion. We suggest increasing the size of the ensemble can overcome unwanted loss and decoherence processes that reduce the transfer fidelity.