Optical memory for computing and information processing

The high data transfer rate achievable in page-oriented optical memories demands for parallel interfaces to logic circuits able to process efficiently the data. The Optically Programmable Gate Array, an enhanced version of a conventional FPGA, utilizes a holographic memory accessed by an array of VCSELs to program its logic. Combining spatial and shift multiplexing to store the configuration pages in the memory, the OPGA module is very compact and has extremely short configuration time allowing for dynamic reconfiguration. The reconfiguration capability of the OPGA can be applied to solve more efficiently problems in pattern recognition and digit classification.