Patent ID: 7480319

Claim:
An optical NOR gate comprising: an optical OR gate comprising: a first laser comprising a first optical cavity, a first gain region in said first optical cavity, and a first optical pump to pump said first gain region, said first optical cavity formed from reflector portions, said reflector portions comprising an array of microstructures disposed in an optically transmissive medium, a plurality of input ports to said first optical cavity, and an output port, said first laser outputting light through said output port upon introduction of an input signal into at least one of said plurality of input ports, wherein said first laser emits light when energy introduced into said first gain region exceeds a threshold level, and wherein (i) said threshold level of said first laser is larger than pump energy introduced by said first optical pump such that said first laser does not emit light without introduction of at least one of said input signals, each input signal having an energy level, and (ii) said threshold level is less than the sum of said pump energy and the energy of any one of said input signals such that the first laser emits light upon introduction of at least one of said input signals into said optical input ports; and an optical NOT gate comprising: a second laser comprising a second optical cavity, a second gain region in said second optical cavity, and a second optical pump to pump said second gain region, said second optical cavity formed from reflector portions, said reflector portions comprising an array of microstructures disposed in an optically transmissive medium, an input port to said second optical cavity; and an output port, said second laser outputting light through said output port of said NOT gate in the absence of an input signal at said input port of said NOT gate and said second laser ceasing to output light through said output port of said NOT gate when said input signal is introduced into said input port of said NOT gate, wherein said output port of said optical OR gate is coupled to said input port of said optical NOT gate.