Operation Of A Numerical Optical Data Processor

This paper deals with an optical arithmetic unit called Numerical Optical Data Processor (NODP), capable of performing addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. The NODP combines the residue arithmetic representation with a spatial light modulator operating as an optically controlled birefringence mirror. The quantity of interest is the relative phase delay between polarization components of light along the fast and slow axes of the controlled birefringence mirror. This phase delay is addititive during several reflections (the basic addition operation) and is detected in terms of the intensity outputting through an analyzer. In the past we have been troubled by slow response times of the LCLV. That has been solved by chopping the input light between two levels. Several addition operations have been performed and results look encouraging. In this paper the operation of the device and some parts of the theory will be discussed and data showing addition will be presented!