Abstract

This paper will describe an all-optical state machine controller for controlling optical processors and processes. It is based on clocking control words from a holographic ROM. The controller is microcoded and includes the capability of unconditional and conditional branching. It has a capacity of 1024 control words, each of which may contain information for controlling arithmetic and logic processors and optical memories, as well as containing next address information. We will describe a prototype device that functions as a sequential counter. The controller functions in the traditional manner: an ad dress is presented as parallel optical beams to an optical address decoder. The decoded address selects a single holographic control word, which contains both control and branching information. The controller is timed by two optical clock signals that control output of the decoded address and sequencing of the next address information. We estimate operating speed at >100 MHz.

© 1992 Optical Society of America