Reconfigurable optical interconnects by a combined computer-generated hologram and spatial light modulator method.

Area of Science:

• Optoelectronics
• Photonics
• Computer Engineering

Background:

• Dynamic optical interconnects are crucial for high-speed data communication.
• Existing methods often face limitations in efficiency and reconfiguration speed.
• Developing efficient and rapidly reconfigurable optical interconnects remains a significant challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a new method for implementing electrically addressed dynamic optical interconnects.
• To demonstrate a system combining a phase spatial light modulator (SLM) with a computer-generated hologram (CGH).
• To achieve high connection efficiencies and fast reconfiguration times.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing a phase spatial light modulator (SLM) to modulate the phase of an illuminating wavefront.
• Employing binary orthogonal phase codes to address the SLM.
• Designing a computer-generated hologram (CGH) with iterative discrete on-axis encoding for directional light routing.

Main Results:

• The CGH-SLM method achieves significantly higher connection efficiencies compared to previous thin optical element-based methods.
• Simulation results show feasibility for switch sizes from 1x2 to 1x8.
• Connection efficiencies exceeding 1/√N (where N is the number of destinations) are attainable.

Conclusions:

• The proposed CGH-SLM method offers a high-efficiency, programmable optical interconnect system.
• The dynamic nature is enabled by the SLM's ability to rapidly change phase.
• This approach leverages current technology for fast reconfiguration and improved performance.