Essex Turpin

Optical Processing & Optical Communications: Symbiosis or Convergence : Optical Processing & Optical Communications: Symbiosis or Convergence Essex Corporation Terry Turpin Chief Scientist


Optical Processor/Computer? : Optical Processor/Computer? Functions most frequently used Fourier Transform (demultiplexing/multiplexing) Correlation (pattern detection) Data distribution and replication … a machine that performs mathematical functions with light rather than electrons


Optical Computing History Tidbits : Optical Computing History Tidbits 1940’s Optical processors were used to break the enigma code during World War II Early Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) (Leigh, Cutrona) Optical Spectrum Analyzers -Itek ATD Search Receivers Triple Product Processors Tempest Optical Correlators (NSA) 1968-1978 1975-1983 ……….parallellism ………………………speed and parallelism…… 1970’s


Specific Optical Processors : Specific Optical Processors


History vs. Mythology : History vs. Mythology Optical Computing is 50 years old Mostly US Government Projects Very Expensive Component Technology – CLASSSIFIED “Niche Technology” Wideband signal analysis cryptography History Too expensive for the Real World Still CLASSIFIED Built only by PhD’s Rarity in the Real World Mythology Optical Computers REALITY TODAY: Optical Processors are successful & gaining widespread use


Evolution of Communications and Processing : Evolution of Communications and Processing Bandwidth 1 bps 1 Gbps 1Mbps 1 Tbps 1840 1970 2000 electronic carriers optical carriers Starting with simple carrier Tx-Rx function Carriers Groomed for greater capacity “Grooming” becomes “Processing” as complexity grows Digital Carrier Processing Optical Carrier Processing


Why go to Optical Processors? : Why go to Optical Processors? Speed Reduced size and power consumption OEO Overhead & Cost are Excessive (optical - electrical - optical) Natural Fit: Optical Processing for Optical Communications Typical improvement is a factor of 50000 Advantages


Cutting Edge Elements : Cutting Edge Elements Materials Photonic Crystals Non-Linear Materials Silicon Germanium III-V & II-VI Materials Systems VCELS Optical Fiber Optical Amplifiers SOA EDFA Optical Correlators Optical Signal Processors New Components Technology Photon Echo Optical Tap Delay Solotons


Next Generation Tools : Next Generation Tools Optical Switching Optical Routing Optical Packet Switching Lambda Switching Optical Spread Spectrum Free Space Beam Tracking Commercial Applications More Bandwidth Capacity Faster Simpler Cheaper Lower Power Consumption


Future Optical Communications : Future Optical Communications Integrated optical processing will… Improve Performance Provide security Provide switching and routing functions Networks will tend to be more transparent Networks will operate at lower power levels approaching the quantum limit


Ready for Prime Time? : Ready for Prime Time? Government continues to invest in compact supercomputing capability Many commercial applications using supercomputing power at commercial prices Telecom revolution has lowered the cost and improved the availability of optical components Telecom and computing industries are confronting wideband signal processing requirements Encryption Channelization Correlation


Where’s the Market? : Where’s the Market? Bandwidth demand continues to at least double each year Vendor inventories from the “overbuild” are gone Network is “at capacity” at many exchange points Sales are happening Metro and Access are building to increase sales and meet demand Source: IDC


Slide13 : Extreme Processing Solutions… Communications & Networks Radar Analysis IT Infrastructure … Through Light and Innovation 1 GHz bandwidth range Doppler radar processor Holographic 3-D Synthetic Aperture Radar Hyperfine WDM product family Reconfigurable ADM All optical equalizer All optical privacy system All optical CDMA Wavelength router Multi-user detection for spread spectrum comms Hypothesis tester for tracking targets Commercial Break.. Transformational Architectures and Build-Out 3D Images


Slide14 : turpin@essexcorp.com