OPTICAL MATRIX MULTIPLIER.
Abstract
Development work has been performed on a parallel, analog, matrix multiplier for the rapid multiplication of very large capacity matrices using optical storage of matrix elements in a colored crystal memory and parallel optical multiplication. The original concept for the system, based on the use of three colored crystals (two for matrix-element storage, and one for multiplication) and three wavelengths of light for storage, readout, and multiplication, respectively, was modified and simplified. The final concept used only two crystals to perform the dual function of storage and multiplication, and two colors of light; it also incorporated the technique of continuous monitoring during storage to eliminate the requirement for linearity of color conversion during storage. The principal final difficulty at completion of the contract was the inability to demonstrate adequate color conversion rates in writing matrix elements into the colored crystal to assure an interesting practical device. Several promising avenues for removing this limitation with further development were described. A laboratory bench-model matrix multiplier was constructed and used to demonstrate matrix element monitoring and multiplication. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 01, 1966
- Accession Number
- AD0640493
Entities
People
- Arthur N. Carson