Optoelectronic parallel-matching architecture for global parallel processing: experiments

摘要

We propose an optoelectronic parallel-matching architecture (PMA) that provides powrful processing capability for distributed algithms comparing with traditional parallel computing architectures. The PMA is composed of a parallel-matching (PM) module and multiple processing elements (PE's). The PM module is implemented by a large-fan-out-free-space optical interconnection and a parallel-matching smart-pixel array (PM-SPA)> In the proposed architecture, each PE can monitor the other PE's by utilizing several kinds of global processing by the PM module. The PE's can execture contcurrent data mathcing among the others as well as inter-prcessor communication. Based on the state-of-the-art optoelectronic devices and a diffractive optical element, a prototype of the PM module is con-structured. The prototype is assumed to be used in a multiple processor system composed of 4 x 4 processing elements, which are completely connected via 1-bit optical communication changels. On the prototype demonstrator, the fundameental operations of the PM module such as parallel-matching operations and inter-processor communication were verified at 15MHz.