Picosecond Electro-Electron Optic Oscilloscope

Abstract

The technique of electro-optic sampling [1–3] presently offers the only means by which an electrical waveform can be time-resolved with subpicosecond resolution. With a sensitivity of ~l mV and the capability of sampling in a contactless configuration, this technique has become a valuable tool for the characterization of ultrafast electronic components. The contactless mode of sampling can also be scaled up to allow sampling on a plane surface permitting the evaluation of any number of discrete components within an integrated circuit. In spite of these attractive features, the electro-optic sampling technique has been adopted by only a few large laboratories, the major drawback being the requirement of a short pulse laser system. The complexity of such a laser results in a sampling oscilloscope that is delicate, maintenance intensive, and expensive, precluding its development in industry and many universities.