Patent ID: 7263262
Filing Date: 2007-08-28
Classification: G02B,G02F

Abstract:
1. An all-optical memory latch receiving first and second optical input signals having respective amplitude-modulated binary logic levels and continuous wave (CW) light having an amplitude at the more intense binary logic level, the all-optical memory latch comprising: a first logic gate configured to receive the first optical input signal, a third optical input signal having an amplitude-modulated binary logic level, and the continuous wave (CW) light, the first logic gate having a first nonlinear element comprising an optical resonator composed of an intensity-dependent refractive index material tuned with a resonant frequency to perform a logic operation on the binary logic levels of the first and third optical input signals through nonlinear discrimination of their combined intensities to generate a first optical output signal, the first logic gate further comprising a second nonlinear element comprising an optical resonator composed of an intensity-dependent refractive index material tuned with a resonant frequency to perform a logic operation on the binary logic levels of the first optical output signal and the CW light through nonlinear discrimination of their combined intensities, the second nonlinear element using the CW light to restore the more intense binary logic level of the first optical output signal; and a second logic gate configured to receive the second optical input signal, a fourth optical input signal having an amplitude-modulated binary logic level, and the continuous wave (CW) light, the second logic gate having a first nonlinear element comprising an optical resonator composed of an intensity-dependent refractive index material tuned with a resonant frequency to perform a logic operation on the binary logic levels of the second and fourth optical input signals through nonlinear discrimination of their combined intensities to generate a second optical output signal, the second logic gate further comprising a second nonlinear element comprising an optical resonator composed of an intensity-dependent refractive index material tuned with a resonant frequency to perform a logic operation on the binary logic levels of the second optical output signal and the CW light through nonlinear discrimination of their combined intensities, the second nonlinear element using the CW light to restore the more intense of the two binary logic levels of the second optical output signal, the latch configured to output the first optical output signal and to guide the first optical output signal to the second logic gate as the fourth optical input signal, and the latch configured to output the second optical output signal and to guide the second optical output signal to the first logic gate as the third optical input signal.