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Topical Meeting on Optical Bistability (OB)

Optical Bistability and the Digital Optical Computer

Adolf W. Lohmann

Published Jan 1, 1985• 0 citations
Publisher

Abstract

Electrons are well suited for switching operations as they occur in a logic processor. But electrons are not so easy to guide from one point to another point. On that score, photons are more suitable. Recently, photons became amendable also for logic processing. Hence, the stage is set for the development of an all-optical digital computer.

DOI
10.1364/obi.1985.ma1

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Electrons are well suited for switching operations as they occur in a logic processor. But electrons are not so easy to guide from one point to another point. On that score, photons are more suitable. Recently, photons became amendable also for logic processing. Hence, the stage is set for the development of an all-optical digital computer.
Optical bistable devices [1] are being developed with a view to their use as logic gates in optical processors [2]. The response of an optical bistable device is strongly nonlinear and once a device has been fabricated, its behaviour as a logic gate can still be modified to a large extent by the variation of certain parameters used to bias the device, Important responses include the device’s fanout potential, its switching speed and the contrast between its high and low output levels. Because of the complexity of the behaviour, it can be difficult to see how one response varies as another is improved. The method of ‘operating curves’ explained here allows a system designer to see how optimum performance may be attained.