A laser transmitter (200, 300) includes a femptosecond pulse forming circuit (214, 308) and an ultra high-speed optical switch (218, 304) which enable the transmitter (200, 300) to generate a modulated pulse stream having pulses with widths of under 200 femptoseconds. The transmitted pulse stream is processed by a laser detector (500), including a wideband optical detector (504) and pulse stretching circuit (506), that regenerates information included in the modulated pulse stream.

An optical modulator includes a dielectric waveguide for receiving an optical beam and coupling energy of the optical beam into the waveguide. At least one Stark material is provided in the waveguide. A bias circuit generates a bias signal to produce an electrical field across the Stark material to shift at least one of the Stark absorption frequencies towards the frequency of the optical beam. A circuit for producing a time varying electric field across the Stark material modulates the optical beam. At least a portion of the bias field can be generated by an alternating bias signal, such as a square wave. A method of modulating optical signals includes the steps of providing a dielectric waveguide for receiving an optical beam and coupling energy of the optical beam into the waveguide, the waveguide having at least one Stark material disposed therein, and varying an electric field imposed across the Stark material.

An apparatus and method wherein polarization rotation in alkali vapors or other mediums is used for all-optical switching and digital logic and where the rate of operation is proportional to the amplitude of the pump field. High rates of speed are accomplished by Rabi flopping of the atomic states using a continuously operating monochromatic atomic beam as the pump.