Optical Processing & Optical Communications:

Symbiosis or Convergence

Essex Corporation

Terry TurpinChief Scientist

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

1940’s

Optical Optical processors processors

were used to were used to break the break the

enigma code enigma code during World during World

War IIWar II

Early Early Synthetic Synthetic Aperture Aperture

Radar Radar (SAR)(SAR)(Leigh, (Leigh,

Cutrona)Cutrona)

Optical Optical Spectrum Spectrum AnalyzersAnalyzers-Itek ATD-Itek ATD

•Search ReceiversSearch Receivers•Triple Product Triple Product

ProcessorsProcessors•Tempest Optical Tempest Optical Correlators (NSA)Correlators (NSA)

1968-1978 1975-1983

……….parallellism ………………………speed and parallelism……

1970’s

Specific Optical Processors

Name Date of Application Units in Use

IFT 1975-1980 Signal Search 50

TOC 1985 50

Netzer 1980 Spread spectrum 4

Wanzer 1985 Cryptanalytic 2

Opaline 1981 Cryptanalytic 1

Washland 1984 Spread spectrum 2

Flemming 1966 Cryptanalytic 1

EW channelizer

1980 on ?

Gingerbread 1981 Signal Search 4 roofman

ImSyn 1990 Image Synthesis 6

Labyrinth 1988 Spread Spectrum 2

SWAS 1998 Astronomy 1/4

DOC 1985-1995 3

AOS 1990-today ?

History vs. Mythology

•Optical Computing is 50 years old•Mostly US Government Projects•Very Expensive•Component Technology – CLASSSIFIED•“Niche Technology”

•Wideband signal analysis•cryptography

HistoryHistory

•Too expensive for the Real World•Still CLASSIFIED•Built only by PhD’s•Rarity in the Real World

MythologyMythology

OpticalComputers

REALITY TODAY: Optical Processors are successful & gaining widespread use

Evolution of Communications and Processing

Bandwidth

1 bps

1 Gbps

1Mbps

1 Tbps

1840 1970 2000

electronic carriers

op

tica

l car

rier

s

•Starting with simple carrier Tx-Rx function•Carriers Groomed for greater capacity•“Grooming” becomes “Processing” as complexity grows

Digital Carrier

Processing

OpticalCarrier

Processing

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

AdvantagesAdvantages

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

•Optical Switching

•Optical Routing

•Optical Packet Switching

•Lambda Switching

•Optical Spread Spectrum

•Free Space Beam Tracking

Commercial Applications

•More Bandwidth CapacityMore Bandwidth Capacity•FasterFaster•SimplerSimpler•CheaperCheaper•Lower Power ConsumptionLower Power Consumption

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?

• 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?

• 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

ExtremeProcessingSolutions…

Communications& Networks

RadarAnalysis

ITInfrastructure

… 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

turpin@essexcorp.com