High-speed, cascaded optical logic operations using programmable optical logic gate arrays

Programmable optical logic operations are demonstrated using arrays of nonlatching binary optical switches consisting of vertical-cavity surface emitting lasers, p-i-n photodetectors and heterojunction bipolar transistors. Individual arrays can perform Boolean optical logic functions at 100 Mb/s using both optical and electrical logic inputs, while the routing and fan-out of the optical logic outputs can be controlled at the gate level. Cascaded optical logic operation is demonstrated using two programmable logic gate arrays.