PULSE – Timing Distribution System

PULSE takes advantage of the inherently low noise pulse trains of a mode-locked laser (i.e. optical master oscillator, or OMO in short) and uses it as its timing signal which can be referenced to an optical or RF clock. The carefully selected OMO timing signal is transferred through fiber-optic timing links to multiple end stations where transmission delays are detected with attosecond resolution using Cycle’s patented balanced optical cross-correlators (BOC) and actively compensated.

At the output of the stabilized fiber links, either an ultrafast laser or a microwave source can be tightly synchronized to the output and thereby to the OMO timing signal. This can be done with Cycle’s patented TCBOC (Two Color Balanced Optical Cross-correlator for optical-optical synchronization) or BOMPD (Balanced Optical Microwave Phase Detector, for RF-optical synchronization). Naturally, PULSE has its own control system that fully automates the whole process and logs all critical system performance data, providing 24/7, 365 days sub-femtosecond timing distribution and synchronization with the click of a button.