US 5,295,010 A · Amplifying and synchronizing signals in optical computing system

Abstract

Amplification and synchronization of photon pulses in optical computing chips is accomplished by placing parametric amplifying devices at predetermined spatial locations in the light conductive paths that make up the optical circuits in the chip. The laser pumping signal for the parametric amplifiers is clocked by a system clock which also clocks the generation of the data photon pulses in the optical circuits. By synchronizing the arrival of a pumping pulse with the arrival of the photon pulse at a parametric amplifier, the data pulse can be amplified, reshaped and resynchronized. The pumping pulse can be directed to the spatially located parametric amplifiers on the chip in a number of different ways. The chip could be masked except for the parametric amplifiers, and the entire chip could be illuminated by the pumping laser though collimating lens. If the chip is not masked, then pumping light must be directed only to the parametric amplifiers. This could be done with a hologram to spatially distribute the light beams to the amplifiers. Alternatively, the beam from the pumping laser could be piped by light conducting fibers to the parametric amplifiers with light pipes. Further, the light pipes for the pumping pulses could be light conducting channels in a second optical chip, or an additional optical circuit layer.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An optical computing apparatus for performing logical operations on data photon pulses in precise spatial/time dimensions, said apparatus comprising:

an optical computing chip having light conducting paths for the data pulses;
logic means in said paths for logically operating on one or more data pulses;
amplifying means other than said logic means in said paths for amplifying data pulses with pumping light pulses;
source means for providing synchronized data and pumping light pulses, said data pulses being directed to said paths and said pumping light pulses being directed to said amplifying means and not to said logic means;
said logic means being spatially located within said paths and relative to said source so that interacting data pulses arrive at said logic means in synchronism;
and
said amplifying means being spatially located within said paths and relative to said source so that data pulses to be amplified arrive at said amplifying means in synchronism with said pumping light pulses.

4 more elements

Optical computing apparatus having optical circuits for logical operations on data laser pulses containing light at signal frequency f.sub.S, said apparatus comprising:

a computing chip having light conducting paths and logical gates in the light conducting paths, said paths and gates forming the optical circuits;
signal means for generating a signal laser beam at a frequency f.sub.S ;
clocking means for generating a system clock signal;
means responsive to said clocking means for modulating said signal laser beam to produce a data laser pulse synchronized with the system clock;
laser means for generating a laser beam at a pumping frequency f.sub.P ;
said laser means responsive to said clocking means for switching the pump laser beam ON/OFF as a function of the system clock signal and thereby generating a pump laser pulse;
light amplifying means in addition to said logical gates, said amplifying means spatially distributed in said circuit paths and responsive to pump laser pulses for amplifying the data laser pulses in the optical circuits;
spatial distribution means for distributing said pump laser pulses on a pump light path to said light amplifying means and for preventing said pump laser pulses from entering said circuit paths and said logical gates, said pump light path to each amplifying means having a length that defines the pump pulse arrival time at said light amplifying means;
and
said optical circuits having an optical path length to said light amplifying means such that data pulses in sync with the system clock arrive at said light amplifying means in sync with pump pulses and are amplified while data pulses arriving at said light amplifying means out of sync with pump pulses are not amplified.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Amplifying and synchronizing signals in optical computing system

Life of this patent

Amplifying and synchronizing signals in optical computing system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20