Ultrafast Optical Processing Research Articles

2/sup n/ prime-sequence codes and coding architecture for optical code-division multiple-access

Recent study shows that optical code-division multiple-access (CDMA) networks cannot be evaluated or designed by only considering the performance (i.e., correlation properties) of the optical pseudo-orthogonal codes selected. The structures of optical encoders and decoders are another important factors to consider and are needed to coordinate with the selected optical codes as much as possible. A special family of 2/sup n/ codes, so-called 2/sup n/ prime-sequence codes, is constructed. A general theorem on the cardinality of the new codes is provided. The properties and performance of the codes are also studied. Since these codes pose the algebraic properties of both prime-sequence and 2/sup n/ codes, new optical encoding and decoding structures are designed to optimize the system parameters (e.g., power budget and cost) of these optical CDMA networks. This new configuration is particularly attractive for ultrafast optical processing and waveguide implementation for tile future high-capacity, low-loss, all-optical CDMA networks.

Fast Ferroelectric Liquid-Crystal Electrooptics

Present and future information technology requires ever faster data transmission rates, but conventional circuitry has serious limitations. In his Perspective, Walba describes a new generation of electrooptical devices based on liquid crystals. These ‘spatial light modulators’ can be integrated with silicon circuits to offer compact, ultrafast optical processing of data.

Error-corrective optical recall of digital images by photoburning of persistent spectral holes

Associative error-corrective recall of spatially- and wavelength (frequency) encoded digital optical signals is carried out by using spectrally highly-selective low-temperature photochromic storage media. It is demonstrated that the technique of photoburning of persistent spectral provides, in addition to usual spatial coordinates, new parallel-accessible degrees of freedom which can be used for ultrafast optical processing.

Experimental demonstration of optical soliton switching in an all-fiber nonlinear Sagnac interferometer

We demonstrate, for the first time to our knowledge, the switching of optical solitons. We observe switching of 93% of the total reflected energy in a partially transmitting integrated fiber loop mirror that makes up the interferometer. This result demonstrates the potential of solitons as the natural bits in ultrafast optical processing.