Solid-state optical logic

Abstract

An optical element for producing an optical NOR gate uses a pair of spatial light modulators or phase shifters and one or more beam splitters to produce outputs representing respectively an XOR function of two control inputs and a COIN function of the two control inputs. The XOR output and the COIN output are combined with a phase shifted version of the source of light used to generate the XOR and COIN outputs to produce both an optical output representing a logical NOR function of the two control inputs. The same circuitry also produces an optical output representing a logical AND function of the two control inputs. The techniques disclosed permit a complete system of optical logic to be produced that can be used to produce an optical processor. The optical logic can advantageously be used in information processing and in communications.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.