Abstract

Optical techniques are projected to possess significant advantage over electronic techniques in implementing global, long distance, high bandwidth, high spatial density interconnects with large fan-in and fan-out. This paper focuses on the impact of large fan-in on the power dissipation of optical switches. Goodman¹ has analyzed the inherent power loss in optical fan-in networks due to the constant brightness theorem. We extend the analysis to include the impact of the fan-in on the power dissipation and speed of an optical link. Both passive (non-regenerative) as well as active (optical detection-regeneration) cases will be analyzed. The connection between these limitations and the performance limits of optical processing architectures based on orthogonally oriented linear modulator arrays (e.g., outer product processors) will also be explored.

© 1992 Optical Society of America