Optical Computing Hardware : Optical Computing

The speed of today's high performance electronic computers is increasingly limited by the number and bandwidth of the interconnections and by data storage and retrieval rates rather than by processing power. Optics, with its inherent parallelism and interconnection capabilities, can offer interesting solutions to help alleviate these limitations. In the last few years, many significant advances have been made in the development of optical computing hardware. This book gives an overview of the most recent research in the following areas: device technology (SEED, VSTEP and the macrolaser devices); micro-optic components (refractive, diffractive and integrated micro-optic packaging); optical interconnections (multistage interconnection networks, reconfigurable interconnections, spot array generation); 3-D optical memory using two-photon interaction; and architecture for optical computers and photonic switching systems Optical Computing Hardware provides information pertinent to the advances in the development of optical computing hardware. This book discusses the two application areas, namely, high-performance computing and high-throughput photonic switching. Organized into 11 chapters, this book begins with an overview of the requirements on hardware from s system perspective. This text then presents the self-electro-optic-effect devices (SPEED), the vertical-cavity-surface- emitting microlasers (VCSEL), and the vertical-to-surface transmission electrophotonic device (VSTEP). Other chapters consider the fundamental principles of the devices and their operation either as logic devices or for optical interconnection applications. This book discusses as well the planar optical microlens as an example of a refractive microlens of the gradient-index type and explains the diffractive optical elements. The final chapter describes a method for writing and reading optically in parallel from a three-dimensional matrix by means of two-photon interaction in photochromic organic materials. This book is a valuable resource for engineers, scientists, and researchers. Content: Optical Computing, Page ii Front Matter, Page iii Copyright, Page iv Contributors, Pages ix-x Preface, Pages xi-xii Chapter 1 - Architectural Considerations for Optical Computing and Photonic Switching, Pages 1-43 Chapter 2 - Self-Electro-Optic Effect Devices for Optical Information Processing, Pages 45-72 Chapter 3 - Vertical-to-Surface Transmission Electrophotonic Devices, Pages 73-97 Chapter 4 - Microlaser Devices for Optical Computing, Pages 99-112 Chapter 5 - Physics of Planar Microlenses, Pages 113-136 Chapter 6 - Diffractive Optical Elements for Optical Computers, Pages 137-167 Chapter 7 - Diffractive Microlenses Fabricated by Electron-Beam Lithography, Pages 169-192 Chapter 8 - Parallel Optical Interconnections, Pages 193-226 Chapter 9 - Multiple Beamsplitters, Pages 227-248 Chapter 10 - Photorefractive Optical Interconnects, Pages 249-285 Chapter 11 - Three-Dimensional Optical Storage Memory by Means of Two-Photon Interaction, Pages 287-325 Index, Pages 327-332 Covers the main areas of optical computing hardware, including chapters on devices, micro-optic components and packaging, interconnects and optical memory. The book supplies information on key new technologies - SEED, VCSELs and diffractive optics.