Adaptive thresholding scheme in photonic analog-to-digital conversion

Abstract

An adaptive thresholding scheme in photonic analog-to-digital conversion is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. Instead of a single-ended electronic comparator, differential detection technology is used to reduce the quantization noise induced by thresholding error. The main advantages of this scheme are the elimination of the dynamic setting of thresholding level and better tolerance to common-mode noise.