Research in Optical Interconnection Techniques.
Abstract
This report summarizes results of basic research on the application of bulk (3-D) optical signal processing and communication technology to the interconnection of digital systems. Emphasis is on the typical distances and bandwidths found at the board and processor level of interconnection. Results are relevant to telecommunications, data networks, and parallel computer architectures. Important issues in the design of any interconnection network (electronic or optical) are: reconfiguration time; synchronous/asynchronous operation; data word size; unidirectional/bidirectional data transfer; broadcast capability; and propagation delay. Crossbar networks are very desirable in that arbitrary 1:1 interconnection of N inputs to N outputs is possible without connection. More than 14 basic optical matrix-vector and matrix-matrix multiplier designs (having binary weights) for implementation of crossbars are given. These systems may use acousto-optic, magneto-optic or electro-optic spatial light modulator, have data bandwidths of up to 1 GHz, and can reconfigure in times as low as 1 microsec. A related result is a design for an optical crossbar network using variable-grating-mode liquid crystal devices. Several types of 3-D dynamic optical networks that interconnect a 2-D array (consisting of N x N input lines) with a similar 2-D array of N x N output lines are given. These 3-D networks are intended to make specific use of the volume (non-planar) aspects of optics. We have designed 3-D extensions to omega or shuffle exchange networks, which can be thought of as an extension of planar shuffle exchange networks.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 30, 1989
- Accession Number
- ADA214028
Entities
People
- Alexander A. Sawchuk
- B. K. Jenkins
- C. S. Raghavendra
Organizations
- University of Southern California