Programmable Optically Reconfigurable Gate Array Architecture using a PAL-SLM

Recently, optically reconfigurable gate arrays (ORGAs) consisting of a gate array VLSI, a holographic memory, and a laser array have been developed to achieve huge virtual gate counts that is much larger than those of currently available VLSIs. Using ORGA architecture, greater than 1 tera gate count VLSIs are possible by exploiting the storage capacity of a holographic memory. Conventional ORGAs have only one shortcoming compared with current field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs): they are not reprogrammable after their fabrication because, to reprogram ORGAs, a holographic memory must be disassembled from its ORGA package, reprogrammed outside of the ORGA package using a holographic memory writer, and implemented into the ORGA package with high precision beyond that available by manual assembly. To improve that shortcoming, this paper presents the world´s first programmable ORGA architecture and experimental results. Furthermore, in light of those experimental results, this paper presents discussion of the availability of this architecture and future plans.