Parallel optical switching apparatus

• US 5,386,310 A
• Filed: 12/03/1992
• Issued: 01/31/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Chiba, Katuaki, Ono, Yuuichi, Haneda, Makoto
• Primary Examiner(s): YOO, DO H
• Application Number:
  US07/984,751
• Time in Patent Office: 789 Days
• Field of Search: 359/107, 359/108
• US Class Current: 365/107
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 3/0675 using electro-optical, acousto-optical or opto-electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/88 Image or video recognition using optical means, e.g. reference filters, holographic masks, frequency domain filters or spatial domain filters

Abstract

A parallel optical switching apparatus wherein at least one m-channel light emission element array and one n-channel light receiving element array are optically connected via an m×n optical conversion element array and the optical conversion element array has an optical amplification function by inductive discharge of input light for each element and performs optical arithmetic or optical conversion in parallel for input light from the light emission element array by the amplification and modulation function.

Claims

1. A parallel optical switching apparatus wherein in a system where at least one m-channel light emission element array and one n-channel light receiving element array are optically connected via an m×

n optical conversion element array, the optical conversion element array has an optical amplification function and a modulation function by inductive discharge of input light for each element of the optical conversion element array and performs optical arithmetic or optical conversion in parallel for input light from the light emission element array by the amplification and modulation function, wherein said optical conversion element array has a substrate and a reflection mirror on the substrate, and the light emission element array and light receiving element array are interconnected into an optical free space coupling system on one side of the optical conversion element array, and a layer with an optical amplification function or an active layer with an MQW structure and light input and output wave guides are mounted on one side or both sides of the substrate in parallel with a surface of the substrate.

2. A parallel optical switching apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said optical conversion element array has a lamination structure such that said optical conversion element array has a one-to-one correspondence with an m×

n surface emitting element array and a surface receiving element array, and wherein an input pattern is input into the optical conversion element array via the surface emitting element array, and optical intensity values at every part of a predetermined memory pattern, which are inversely converted, are input into said optical conversion element array and multiplied and compared programmably, and a feedback arrangement from an output allows an input pattern to be identified, corrected, and learned.

3. A parallel optical switching apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said optical conversion element array has a structure that N and P electrodes of each of m×

n elements are electrically separated on one side or both sides of the substrate, parasitic capacitance is reduced and electrodes are led to a periphery of the optical conversion element array.

4. A parallel optical switching apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said light emission element array, said light receiving element array, and said optical conversion element array are formed on the same substrate or integrated and mounted in layers on a single chip.

5. A parallel optical switching apparatus wherein in a system where at least one m-channel light emission element array and one n-channel light receiving element array are optically connected via an m×

n optical conversion element array, the optical conversion element array has an optical amplification function and a modulation function by inductive discharge of input light for each element of the optical conversion element array and performs optical arithmetic or optical conversion in parallel for input light from the light emission element array by the amplification and modulation function, wherein said optical conversion element array has a transparent substrate for the wave length of an input signal, active layers, which have a double hetero structure, multiquantum well structure, or distorted quantum well structure, having an optical amplification function at least perpendicularly to the substrate, microlenses or domed layers which increase a numerical aperture of input light and filters for reducing spontaneous emission noise on a surface of each of the microlenses or domed layers.

6. A parallel optical switching apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said optical conversion element array has a lamination structure such that said optical conversion element array has a one-to-one correspondence with an m×

n surface emitting element array and a surface receiving element array, and wherein an input pattern is input into the optical conversion element array via the surface emitting element array, and optical intensity values at every part of a predetermined memory pattern, which are inversely converted, are input into said optical conversion element array and multiplied and compared programmably, and a feedback arrangement from an output allows an input pattern to be identified, corrected, and learned.

7. A parallel optical switching apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said optical conversion element array has a structure that N and P electrodes of each of m×

n elements are electrically separated on one side or both sides of the substrate, parasitic capacitance is reduced and electrodes are led to a periphery of the optical conversion element array.

8. A parallel optical switching apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said light emission element array, said light receiving element array, and said optical conversion element array are formed on the same substrate or integrated and mounted in layers on a single chip.