Uses nematic liquid crystal clad the optical waveguide type synapse load modulator

摘要

PURPOSE:To provide the optical waveguide type synapse load modulator to be used for optical neurocomputing by using a nematic liquid crystal clad. CONSTITUTION:This modulator consists of multichannel waveguides 2 formed on a glass substrate 1, electrodes 3, 4 formed on the glass substrate with these waveguides in-between, the nematic liquid crystal clad 8 formed to intersect with the waveguides 2 and these electrodes 3, 4, an input AC power source 5, a light source prism-coupled to the waveguides 2 and a photoelectron multiplier having the multimode fiber end face coupling connected to output terminals. The nematic liquid crystal clad 8 is fixed to an oriented film 9 formed thereon and the glass substrate 1. The nematic liquid crystal clad layer 8 is so constituted that load can be applied to respective signals by an electric deflection effect in the same manner as the synapse operation of the neurocircuit.