Combinatorial logic based digital optical computing architectures

Most of the compute intensive SDI problem solving processors rely on a common set of algorithms found in numerical matrix algebra. Typically, all these problems are broken up into a set of linear equations where it is the processors task to solve this set. Algorithmic solutions range from the extensive use of the fast Fourier transform to the robust singular value decomposition method. Over the past several years considerable research has been focused on the use of arrays of computational processing elements, which, when configured correctly, will process these algorithms at extremely high speeds and with great algorithmic efficiency. To obtain these high speeds hardware development has progressed primarily in two areas: (1) semiconductor VLSI arrays utilizing 2-D planar semiconductor technology and (2) acoustooptic analog and digital arrays utilizing 3-D optical interconnect technology. This paper will focus on the formulation of 3-D optical interconnect methodology for numerical and general purpose binary combinatorial logic based optical computers.