Acousto-electric signal convolver, correlator and memory

摘要

An acousto-electric device provides a memory for a reference signal and provides for the convolution or correlation of input signals with the reference signal. The reference signal is transduced onto a piezoelectric surface to establish an electric field which determines the transfer and recombination of minority carriers across the p-n junction matrix of an adjacent semiconductor thereby creating a space-charge region in the semiconductor which is a spatial replication of the reference signal. The signal may be recovered in relation to the amplitude modulation of a carrier signal. For correlation or convolution of the reference signal with input signals, the input signals are provided to first or second terminals respectively and transduced onto the piezoelectric surface to produce electric fields which interact with the space-charge region of the stored reference signal to provide a product current whose integration comprises the correlation or convolution output.