We proposed the simulation method of reconstructed holographic images in considering phase distribution in the small pixels of liquid crystal spatial light modulator (LC-SLM) and clarified zero-order diffraction appeared on the reconstructed images when the phase distribution in a single pixel is non-uniform. These results are useful for design of fine LC-SLM for realizing wide-viewing-angle holographic displays.

In order to realize high-yield speckle modulation, we developed a novel spatial light modulator using zinc oxide single crystal doped with nitrogen ions. The distribution of dopants was optimized to induce characteristic optical functions by applying an annealing method developed by us. The device is driven by a current in the in-plane direction, which induces magnetic fields. These fields strongly interact with the doped material, and the spatial distribution of the refractive index is correspondingly modulated via external control. Using this device, we experimentally demonstrated speckle modulation, and we discuss the quantitative superiority of our approach.

We investigated an analogue modulation of magneto-optic spatial light modulator (MOSLM). For enhancement of the modulation from the voltage-driving MOSLM, magnetostriction and saturation magnetization of magnetic garnet films and piezoelectric constant of PZT films were investigated. The performance was expected to be improved by using Bismuth, Dysprosium and Aluminum substituted Yttrium Iron garnet, which effective magnetic field showed 20 times higher than Yttrium Iron garnet.

Optically controlled beam forming techniques are effective for phased-array antenna control. We have developed the Fourier transform optical beamformer (FT-OBF). The antenna radiation pattern inputted into an amplitude spatial light modulator (A-SLM) is optically Fourier transformed to a specific phase-front light beam equivalent to an antenna excitation in the FT-OBF. Optical signal processing, used the Fourier transform optics, is effective to large-scale, two-dimensional, and high-speed signal processing. To implement a flexible and finer antenna beam pattern control, we use an A-SLM as input image formation of the FT optics. And, to realize a small-size FT-OBF, we use symmetric triplet lenses with convex, concave and convex lens. The total optical system becomes below 1/5 length compared with the length using single lens. Finally, we evaluated the developed FT-OBF with the generated amplitude and phase distributions, which excitation signal of an array antenna. We measured an antenna radiation beam pattern, beam steering and beam width control, in the C-band. Measurement results agreed with theoretical calculated results. These results show the feasibility of the spatial light modulator based FT-OBF.

The system uses spectral shaping of a supercontinuum source followed by wavelength-to-time mapping to generate ultra wideband RF waveforms with arbitrary modulation. It employs an adaptive computer control to mitigate the non-ideal features inherent in the optical source and in the spectrum modulation process. As proof of concept, ultra-wideband frequency hopped CDMA waveforms are demonstrated.

We propose an optical computing architecture called pure optical parall array logic system (P-OPALS) as an instance of sophisticated optical computing system. On the P-OPALS, high density images can be processed in parallel using the optical system with high resolving power. We point out problems on the way to develop the P-OPALS and propose logical foundation of the P-OPALS called single-input optical array logic (S-OAL) as a solution of those problems. Based on the proposed architecture, an experimental system of the P-OPALS is constructed by using three optical techniques: birefringent encoding, selectable discrete correlator, and birefringent decoding. To show processing capability of the P-OPALS, some basic parallel operations are demonstrated. The results obtained indicate that image consisting of 300 100 pixels can be processed in parallel on the experimental P-OPALS. Finally, we estimate potential capability of the P-OPALS.

Three dimensional (3-D) optics offers potential advantages to the massively-parallel systems over electronics from the view point of information transfer. The purpose of this paper is to survey some aspects of the 3-D optical interconnection technology for the future massively-parallel computing systems. At first, the state-of-art of the current optoelectronic array devices to build the interconnection networks are described, with emphasis on those based on the semiconductor technology. Next, the principles, basic architectures, several examples of the 3-D optical interconnection systems in neural networks and multiprocessor systems are described. Finally, the issues that are needed to be solved for putting such technology into practical use are summarized.

The newly developed GaAs-pin/SLM, that is structured with a GaAs-pin diode photodetector and a ferroelectric liquid crystal as the light phase modulator, shows the accumulative thresholding characteristic against the optical energy of the write-in pulse train. We experimentally investigate this characteristic and discuss its applications to optical parallel processings.