Abstract

Optical methods have proved extremely successful for signal transmission and have very quickly formed the basis for a maturing industry. Other applications of optics to informatics are less natural. For example, it has been recognised that wideband transmission implies a future need for wideband switching, but the development of optical switches has proved difficult. Similarly the concept of optical computing may have great promise, but its present state is very primitive.

© 1987 Optical Society of America