Optically Reconfigurable Gate Arrays vs. ASICs

An optically reconfigurable gate array (ORGA) is a type of field programmable gate array (FPGA) that can be reconfigured optically in a very short time and with many reconfiguration contexts by combining a holographic memory and a laser array on a gate-array VLSI. An ORGA can be considered as a type of next-generation three-dimensional (3D) VLSI chip. The developments of high-gate count ORGA-VLSIs, optical reconfiguration systems with a holographic memory, and laser arrays have been advanced recently. However, ORGA performance has never been discussed in comparison with current application specific integrated circuits (ASICs) or full custom VLSIs. In this paper, the performance difference between ORGAs and ASICs is clarified; the future vision of the ORGA is also discussed

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