Optical shuffle computation network

A method of transferring a block of data comprising the steps of:

• constructing an array of transmitter tiles on a semiconductor substrate, each transmitter tile forming an array of transmitters, each transmitter configured to transmit a beam of data;
• constructing an array of receiver tiles on a semiconductor substrate, each tile forming an array of receivers, each receiver configured to receive a beam of data;
• communicating a block of data comprising beams of data from the array of transmitters to a dispersed array of receivers such that each beam of data from a given transmitter tile is received by a different receiver tile, wherein received beams of data from a given transmitter tile are designated an itel;
• shifting itels on the array of receiver tiles;
• retransmitting the shifted itels from the array of receiver tiles, and
• receiving the retransmitted data as a block of data on a terminating array.

Apparatus for optical communication comprising:

• an originating chip segment comprising an array of originating tiles, the originating tiles each comprising arrays of originating transceivers configured to receive and transmit beams at the tiles;
• an intermediate chip segment comprising an array of intermediate tiles, the intermediate tiles each comprising arrays of intermediate transceivers configured to receive and transmit beams at the tiles;
• wherein each originating transceiver corresponds to an intermediate transceiver;
• an originating lenslet array parallel and adjacent to the array of originating tiles, the originating lenslet array constructed and arranged to collimate beams from the originating transceivers and to focus collimated beams that are directed towards the originating transceivers;
• an intermediate lenslet array parallel and adjacent to the array of intermediate tiles, the intermediate lenslet array constructed and arranged to focus collimated beams that are directed towards the intermediate transceivers and to collimate beams from the intermediate transceivers;
• an optical element configured to combine with lenslets within each lenslet array to form Fourier transform optics;
• and
• circuitry at the intermediate chip configured to convert beams received at a first set of receiver-transmitters to electric signals, route the electric signals to a second set of receiver-transmitters and convert the electric signals to optical signals for transmission by the second set of receiver-transmitters to their corresponding transmitter-receivers.