Abstract

A combinatorial logic circuit is an interconnected array of logic gates. However, for various arithmetic operations, iterative sequential computation is needed. To furnish feedback, memory elements, such as flip-flops or registers must be utilized. With this feedback, the overall logic circuit is a finite-state sequential logic machine. The use of optics to perform fast combinatorial logic processing was suggested^1-3. However, for the various proposed combinatorial logic elements the efficient feedback generation is an active research area. To generate a sequential logic circuit, a viable hybrid approach is to use optics for both fast parallel logic and interconnect and high-speed bit-addressable electronics for storage and feedback¹. In this paper, a specific hybrid sequential computing module, where optical array processors that perform the combinatorial logic and interconnect operations, are sandwiched between high-speed electronic parallelly-addressed storage registers, is described. This hybrid system can sustain various fast optical register transfer micro-operations (ORTMOs), operations that are the most primitive operations required for an optical digital computer. This new system will be referred to as an optical register transfer processor (ORTP).

© 1989 Optical Society of America