Optical logic devices and methods

摘要

An optical logic device is provided by an interferometer having an output which defines a logic state 1 or 0 in dependence upon an interference condition existing in the interferometer. Each arm of the interferometer contains a semiconductor optical amplifier in which the effect of cross phase modulation is utilized to modulate the phase of light transmitted through the respective arms. Optical signals are counter propagated through one or both of the arms in order to provide the cross modulation and thereby enable the interference condition to be set to one or other of the logic states. Automatic level control is provided at inputs to the interferometer and between successive stages of logic device. The method has application to high frequency digital optical communication systems where all optical logic operations are required.