Abstract

The function of ‘memory’ is one of the key building blocks to implement advanced information processing in future ultrahigh-speed photonic networks. Previously, we have described an all-optical regenerative memory in which stable storage of data is obtained for several hours [1]. In addition, the memory architecture provides amplitude restoration for the stored pulses and the ability to set a threshold storage level [2]. Here we demonstrate an important extension to this design which not only allows optical pulses to be written to the memory but also permits optical pulses to be selectively read from storage. This additional capability greatly extends the usefulness of the memory as a sub-system in more complex processing operations [3]. To achieve the ‘read’ function we incorporate a third nonlinear optical switching element (TOAD/SLALOM [4,5]) to act as an all-optical modulator for the data stored in the regenerative memory.

© 1998 Optical Society of America