Parallel optical processing experiments based on two-dimensional arrays

The authors have developed binary optical logic planes, based on nonlinear interference filters, and used them to construct basic demonstration optical processing systems. The logic planes are based on thermally sensitive dielectric interference filters with external absorbers, known as BEAT devices (bistable etalons with absorbed transmission). They are operated as three-port gates. The processing scheme currently explored derives from the (electronic) cellular logic image processor. It consists of a parallel optical coprocessor operating in single instruction multiple data stream mode, controlled by a conventional electronic host computer. By programming both the Boolean logic operations carried out in the processing unit and the responses of the threshold unit on each cycle, a wide range of binary image processing functions can be built up over a number of iterations using a system of this type