Focal plane array optical data extraction and memory

A FPA device comprising:

• an optical cladding;
• an optical core upon said cladding;
• an evanescent region upon said optical core;
• and
• FPA pixels upon said evanescent region.

A FPA device structure comprising:

• a bottom optical waveguide;
• a bottom insulator;
• a top insulator;
• p-n junction layers between said top insulator and said bottom insulator, said bottom insulator separating said p-n junction layers from said bottom optical waveguide;
• electrodes on said top insulator and said bottom insulator for biasing said p-n junction layers;
• and
• a top optical waveguide separate from said p-n junction layers by said top insulator.

A FPA device comprising:

• an N×M rectangular array of FPA pixels;
• N row waveguides disposed to respectively interact N optical waves with charge from N rows of pixels of said N×M rectangular of pixels;
• M column waveguides disposed to respectively interact M optical waves with charge from M columns of pixels of said N×M rectangular array of FPA pixels;
• N row light wave sources disposed to respectively propagate N light waves through said N row waveguides;
• N row light sensors to respectively sense said N light waves after said N light waves have passed through said N row waveguides;
• M column light sources disposed to respectively propagate M light waves through said M column waveguides;
• M column light sensors disposed to respectively sense said M light waves after said M light waves have passed through said M column waveguides.

An FPA direct memory device, comprising:

• an array of FPA pixels;
• means for applying an electric field to said FPA pixels;
• optical wave sources providing read optical waves;
• means for directing the read optical waves to interact with charges in said FPA pixels;
• detectors to detect said optical waves;
• and
• control means for controlling said means for applying, said optical wave sources, and said sensors to store, read and clear charges in said pixels.