Multiple-output logic element based on an optical interference system

A multiple-output logic element using an optical interference system is proposed. The system acts as a logic gate array operating in parallel at certain positions divided over one period of the output fringe. A photoinduced refractive-index change material is incorporated in the system to perform the optical transformation of optical inputs into the phase change of a readout beam. It is shown that the logic gates obtained can be controlled arbitrarily in number and sorts by adjusting either the shift or the division of the output fringe. As an example, logic gates of AND, OR, NAND, NOR are implemented in parallel in the preliminary experiments.