light interference computing

Danalys

Regular
so anyway i had an idea that interference of light could be used to make computers. so then i went to see if the idea had all ready been had and found that it had.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2001/05/010515075526.htm

so that's from seven years ago. and i haven't found anymore uptodate information as of yet.

so does anyone remember any information they wish to pass on or have knowledge of the time frame it could take for such things to become in use?

and what about the possibility of using nanotube light logic gates in conjunction?
 
It could very well be done today, but the main problem is that laser LED's and beam channels are rather huge, compared to FET's and wires. And to be able to focus and "bend" the beams, the channels have to have a really high tolerance and a very specific, curved inner surface.

Or, do it all on top of a flat surface, with wave guides etched in. Which has been shown multiple times, but this increases the area needed even more.

But the main problem is one of speed: while a fully optical processor would operate at lightspeed, signals still have to be converted from and to electricity, thereby eliminating the speed advantage.
 
Think light would be the best interface/bus though, using the different frequencies to address different parts. All interconnected by fibre.
 
It could very well be done today, but the main problem is that laser LED's and beam channels are rather huge, compared to FET's and wires. And to be able to focus and "bend" the beams, the channels have to have a really high tolerance and a very specific, curved inner surface.

Or, do it all on top of a flat surface, with wave guides etched in. Which has been shown multiple times, but this increases the area needed even more.

But the main problem is one of speed: while a fully optical processor would operate at lightspeed, signals still have to be converted from and to electricity, thereby eliminating the speed advantage.

i was thinking that the data from an optical disc could be directly fed into the processor. instead of being converted by the pick up it would be focused and channeled apropriately. size isn't an issue if the heat requirement is less and the materials used were cheaper than silicon. but i don't know if that would be the case or not.
 
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