Report of the Workshop on All-Optical, Stored Program, Digital Computers

摘要

A workshop drawing together active researchers in both optics and digital computing was held in Leesburg, VA on May 11-12, 1987. The theme of the workshop was the design and construction of all-optical, stored program, digital computers. Issues addressed were: the need for real hardware; the key device problems; and the key architectural problems. Potential benefits of optical technology for digital computing were identified along with current impediments to rapid development of optical computers. A clear case was made for the need for close interaction between nonlinear optical device designers and optical computer systems designers.