NONLINEAR OPTICAL COMPONENTS FOR ALL-OPTICAL PROBABILISTIC GRAPHICAL MODEL

摘要

A method of multiplying together a series of factors includes representing a multiplication operation in terms of a summation of a series of natural logarithmic functions that undergo exponentiation to represent the multiplication of the factors. An optical signal is generated for each of the factors to be multiplied. Each optical signal has a power or energy level that represents its respective factor. Each of the optical signals is applied to a respective material that undergoes a two-photon absorption process to implement a natural logarithm function. Each optical output signal output by the materials is directed to an optical combiner to obtain a summed optical signal. The summed optical signal is directed to a saturable absorber to implement an exponential function. The power or energy of the resulting optical output signal from the saturable absorber represents the product of the factors to be multiplied.