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Proceedings of SPIE, the International Society for Optical Engineering/Proceedings of SPIE

Model of computation for Fourier optical processors

Thomas J. Naughton

Published May 24, 2000• 25 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We present a novel and simple theoretical model of computation that captures what we believe are the most important characteristics of an optical Fourier transform processor. We use this abstract model to reason about the computational properties of the physical systems it describes. We define a grammar for our model's instruction language, and use it to write algorithms for well-known filtering and correlation techniques. We also suggest suitable computational complexity measures that could be used to analyze any coherent optical information processing technique, described with the language, for efficiency. Our choice of instruction language allows us to argue that algorithms describable with this model should have optical implementations that do not require a digital electronic computer to act as a master unit. Through simulation of a well known model of computation from computer theory we investigate the general-purpose capabilities of analog optical processors.

DOI
10.1117/12.386820

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We present a novel and simple theoretical model of computation that captures what we believe are the most important characteristics of an optical Fourier transform processor. We use this abstract model to reason about the computational properties of the physical systems it describes. We define a grammar for our model's instruction language, and use it to write algorithms for well-known filtering and correlation techniques. We also suggest suitable computational complexity measures that could be used to analyze any coherent optical information processing technique, described with the language, for efficiency. Our choice of instruction language allows us to argue that algorithms describable with this model should have optical implementations that do not require a digital electronic computer to act as a master unit. Through simulation of a well known model of computation from computer theory we investigate the general-purpose capabilities of analog optical processors.
Optical-computing technology offers new challenges to algorithm designers since it can perform an n-point discrete Fourier transform (DFT) computation in only unit time. Note that the DFT is a nontrivial computation in the parallel random-access machine model, a model of computing commonly used by parallel-algorithm designers. We develop two new models, the DFT-VLSIO (very-large-scale integrated optics) and the DFT-circuit, to capture this characteristic of optical computing. We also provide two paradigms for developing parallel algorithms in these models. Efficient parallel algorithms for many problems, including polynomial and matrix computations, sorting, and string matching, are presented. The sorting and string-matching algorithms are particularly noteworthy. Almost all these algorithms are within a polylog factor of the optical-computing (VLSIO) lower bounds derived by Barakat and Reif [Appl. Opt. 26, 1015 (1987) and by Tyagi and Reif [Proceedings of the Second IEEE Symposium on Parallel and Distributed Processing (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, New York, 1990) p. 14].
Quantum algorithms and computational models primarily focus on processing quantum states via qubit manipulations and measurements. While this allows for hardware independent algorithm development, it does not necessarily reflect the full capabilities of even imperfect physical implementations - which typically have access to additional degrees of freedom not routinely considered in quantum algorithm development. In analogy with electrical mixed-signal (analog and digital) processing, here we investigate the prospects of incorporating the strengths of the native physical platform into the quantum information processor. Although the treatment here will be limited to optical systems the general approach should apply to other physical systems as well.
A gedanken model of an analog optical computer for general purpose Fourier transform tasks is built and studied assuming entangled or non-entangled photons appearing at the input. The performance of the entangled and non-entangled operation modes, regarding information content, power consumption, acquisition time, wavelength and bandwidth limitations are analyzed as function of qubit repetition rate and number of qubits in the entangled state, respectively, based on fundamental physical laws. The total number of input photons is assumed the same for the two operation modes. It is sown that the entangled mode outperforms the non-entangled one, but only above a certain number of qubits in the entangled state. It is argued that, for practical applications to general purpose computing, several limitations should be imposed regarding qubit repetition rate and number of qubits in the entangled state. In addition, it is pointed out that the conclusions that we present are equally valid for general purpose optical quantum computing and for quantum information processing, too.
Previously we have examined the similarities of the quantum Fourier transform to the classical coherent optical implementation of the Fourier transform (R. Young et al, Proc SPIE Vol 87480, 874806-1, -11). In this paper, we further consider how superposition states can be generated on coherent optical wave fronts, potentially allowing coherent optical processing hardware architectures to be extended into the quantum computing regime. In particular, we propose placing the pixels of a Spatial Light Modulator (SLM) individually in a binary superposition state and illuminating them with a coherent wave front from a conventional (but low intensity) laser source in order to make a so-called ‘interaction free’ measurement. In this way, the quantum object, i.e. the individual pixels of the SLM in their superposition states, and the illuminating wavefront would become entangled. We show that if this were possible, it would allow the extension of coherent processing architectures into the quantum computing regime and we give an example of such a processor configured to recover one of a known set of images encrypted using the well-known coherent optical processing technique of employing a random Fourier plane phase encryption mask which classically requires knowledge of the corresponding phase conjugate key to decrypt the image. A quantum optical computer would allow interrogation of all possible phase masks in parallel and so immediate decryption.
The light's image is the primary source of information carrier in nature. Indeed, a single photon's image possesses a vast information capacity that can be harnessed for quantum information processing. Our scheme for implementing quantum information processing via universal multiport processors employs a class of quantum Fourier optical systems composed of spatial phase modulators and 4f-processors with phase-only pupils having a characteristic periodicity that reduces the number of optical resources quadratically as compared to other conventional path encoding techniques. In particular, this paper employs quantum Fourier optics to implement some key quantum logical gates that can be instrumental in optical quantum computations. For instance, we demonstrate the principle by implementing the single-qubit Hadamard and the two-qubit controlled-NOT gates via simulation and optimization techniques. Due to various advantages of the proposed scheme, including the large information capacity of the photon wavefront, a quadratically reduced number of optical resources compared with other conventional path encoding techniques, and dynamic programmability, the proposed scheme has the potential to be an essential contribution to linear optical quantum computing and optical quantum signal processing.