Design of optical storage elements

The proposed design of an all-optical packet switching system is discussed. The main optical elements used in this design are optical interference filters (IFs) and mirrors. These optical IFs are based on the Fabry-Perot etalons and can operate in three different modes: transmission, reflection, and absorption. These IFs have been experimentally shown to process data carried by a light beam in as fast as a few picoseconds.<
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