12-04-2010, 09:01 PM
Abstract
An optical computer (also called a photonic computer) is a device that uses the photons in visible light or infrared (IR) beams, rather than electric current, to perform digital computations. An electric current creates heat in computer systems, the more processing speed is needed, the more electricity is required; all this extra heat is extremely damaging to the hardware. Light however doesn't create significant amounts of heat no matter how much is used and therefore more powerful processing systems can be produced. By applying some of the advantages of visible and/or IR networks at the device and component scale, a computer might someday be developed that can perform operations 10 or more times faster than a conventional electronic computer
Visible-light and IR beams, unlike electric currents, pass through each other without interacting. Several (or many) laser beams can be shone so their paths confined essentially to two dimensions. Electric intersect, but there is no interference among the beams, even when they are currents must be guided around each other, and this makes three-dimensional wiring necessary. Thus, an optical computer, besides being much faster than an electronic one, might also be smaller.
