The Reliability of Optical Logic

One of the potential niches for optical logic is very high speed digital circuits. Conventional lithographic manufacturing techniques decrease the individual logic device cost when the device density per unit area increases. Thermal power dissipation limitations, however, restrict the device density at a given duty cycle and switching speed. Thus, we desire optical logic devices with small switching energies for high speed systems. Since switching energy usually decreases with decreasing device area, small devices decrease thermal dissipation problems and increase manufacturing density.