An Introduction to Optics in Computers

Book excerpt: This volume surveys the entire field of optical computing. The emphasis is on breadth of coverage. The book is descriptive, the authors minimize the use of mathematics, and it is therefore most suitable for those who require an overall view of what is going on in this field. A detailed comparison is given of the capabilities of electronics and optics, and the degree to which these capabilities have been achieved is indicated. Other areas of focus include optical computing architectures, components and technologies, optical interconnects, and optical neural nets. Approximately 300 references to key works in the field are included.