Optical parallel logic gate using a Pockels readout optical modulator and twisted nematic liquid-crystal cells

We describe an optical polarization parallel logic gate that is based on the two orthogonal polarization states corresponding to the two states of a binary system. The logic gate employs a Pockels readout optical modulator (PROM) and 90 degrees twisted nematic liquid-crystal cells (LCC's). The PROM transforms the binary-coded intensities of the input images into two orthogonally polarized states of readout light. The LCC is employed as a linear polarization rotator that negates the logic state (1 or 0) of the input and output images. Two-dimensional real-time operation of 14 Boolean logic functions for two input images has been demonstrated.