8/9/2019 Moore's Law, The Empirical Observation That The

1/15

OPTICAL COMPUTERS

Optical Computers perform computations, operate, store

and transmit data using only light.

Computing with Light not Electricity

8/9/2019 Moore's Law, The Empirical Observation That The

2/15

But Why ??

Computing with Light not Electricity

8/9/2019 Moore's Law, The Empirical Observation That The

3/15

Moore's Law, the empiricalobservation that the transistor

density of integrated circuits

doubles every 2 years

8/9/2019 Moore's Law, The Empirical Observation That The

4/15

The speed of computers was achieved by miniaturizing

electronic components.

8/9/2019 Moore's Law, The Empirical Observation That The

5/15

Miniaturisation can lead to cross talk

Solid medium limits both speed and

amount of information being transferred Build up to heat

30 cm length of wire produces ~ 1 ns delay

Whats wrong with electronics?

8/9/2019 Moore's Law, The Empirical Observation That The

6/15

Light doesnt suffer from the electronic

time response

Optical communication: Multiplexing and different wavelengths with no

interference

Compact, lightweight, inexpensive

Whats right with Optical?

8/9/2019 Moore's Law, The Empirical Observation That The

7/15

No Interference !

Light Beams Dont Interact

8/9/2019 Moore's Law, The Empirical Observation That The

8/15

Parallel Communication

Transfer more data in the same medium atdifferent wavelength

8/9/2019 Moore's Law, The Empirical Observation That The

9/15

Higher Data Transfer Speed

Transfer at the Speed of Light !

8/9/2019 Moore's Law, The Empirical Observation That The

10/15

No Heat Dissipation

As there is no electronic resistance

8/9/2019 Moore's Law, The Empirical Observation That The

11/15

1. Optical computing is at least 1000 times faster thantodays electronic machines.

2. Optical storage will provide an extremely optimized way

to store data, with space requirements far lesser thantodays silicon chips.

3. Super fast searches through databases.

4. No short circuits, light beam can cross each otherwithout interfering with each others data.

5. Light beams can travel in parallel and no limit to number

of packets that can travel in the photonic circuits.

ADVANTAGES

8/9/2019 Moore's Law, The Empirical Observation That The

12/15

Two different types of optical computers :

Electro-Optical Hybrid computers(Realistic)

Pure Optical computers (Futuristic)

8/9/2019 Moore's Law, The Empirical Observation That The

13/15

Electro-Optical Hybrid Use optical fibers and electric parts to read and

direct data from the processor

Light pulses send information insteadof voltage packets.

Processors change from binary code to light

pulses using lasers.

Information is then detected and decoded

electronically back to binary

8/9/2019 Moore's Law, The Empirical Observation That The

14/15

Pure Optical Computers Information is sent throughout computer

as light waves and packets.

No electron based systems

No conversion from binary to optical

necessary, greatly increasing the speed.

8/9/2019 Moore's Law, The Empirical Observation That The

15/15

Optical technology promises massiveupgrades in the efficiency and speed of

computers, as well as significant shrinkagein their size and cost.

Even though pure Optical computer hasmany challenges hybrid opto-electricalcomputer can be expected very soon, and innear future pure optical computer too..

CON

CLUSION