ABSTRACT

Optical technology has been developed for highly effective transport of information, either as very high speed temporal streams, e.g., in optical fibers or in free-space, or as in high-frame-rate two-dimensional (2D) image displays. The development of various optical modulation, display, and storage techniques allows the investigation of processing concepts. The attraction of optical processing techniques is the promise for parallel routing and processing of data in the multiple dimensions of space, time, and wavelength at possible optical data rates. In the oldest paradigm, optical data in analogue form can be manipulated to perform useful functions. The core idea of Fourier transformation by a lens is the basis for many demonstrations of single-function optical processors. Electro-optic and acousto-optic modulation devices have been developed for optical input and output at the focal planes. Nonguided-wave temporal modulators can be applied to free-space communications, distributed computing architectures, laser radar, and laser designators.