Reconfigurable optical interconnections for parallel computing

Author

McArdle, Neil ; Naruse, Makoto ; Toyoda, Haruyoshi ; Kobayashi, Yuji ; Ishikawa, Masatoshi

Author_Institution

Dept. of Math. Eng. & Inf. Phys., Tokyo Univ., Japan

Volume

88

Issue

6

fYear

2000

fDate

6/1/2000 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

829

Lastpage

837

Abstract

We describe our research on optically interconnected optoelectronic parallel computing systems. Our architecture is based on a multilayer pipeline of two-dimensional optoelectronic device arrays in which each pixel is composed of an optical input channel, a general-purpose programmable processor, local memory, and a surface-emitting laser diode as an optical output channel. Free-space optics provides parallel, global communication between layers in the pipeline via optical paths that are dynamically reconfigurable. Design and initial realization of a system are described.

Keywords

optical computing; optical interconnections; parallel architectures; reconfigurable architectures; free-space optics; multilayer pipeline; optical interconnection; parallel computing system; reconfigurable architecture; surface emitting laser diode; two-dimensional optoelectronic device array; Computer architecture; Nonhomogeneous media; Optical arrays; Optical devices; Optical interconnections; Optoelectronic devices; Parallel processing; Pipelines; Semiconductor laser arrays; Surface emitting lasers;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Proceedings of the IEEE

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9219

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/5.867696

Filename

867696