Patent ID: 6822591
Filing Date: 2004-11-23
Classification: G02F

Abstract:
A logic element comprising:a first saturable absorber for receiving a combined power of a first input optical signal and a reference signal, its passing power being higher than its absorbed power if the combined power is higher than a first transparent input power and its absorbed power being higher than its passing power if the combined power is lower than the first transparent input power; a second saturable absorber for receiving a combined power of a second input optical signal having a wavelength different from that of the first input optical signal and the reference signal, its passing power being higher than its absorbed power if the combined power is higher than a second transparent input power and its absorbed power being higher than its passing power if the combined power is lower than the second transparent input power; and a combiner for combining an output of the first saturable absorber and an output of the second saturable absorber, wherein the reference signal has an optical power lower than the first and second transparent input powers, and the combined power of the first input optical signal and the reference signal and the combined power of the second input optical signal and the reference signal are higher than the first and second transparent input powers, respectively.