Simulated annealing of binary fields using an optoelectronic circuit

A new approach to the VLSI implementation of stochastic cellular networks is demonstrated. Arrays of high throughput Gaussian noise sources are obtained thanks to the transduction of random patterns imaged onto an opto-electronic analog-digital circuit. A 4/spl times/4 cells prototype chip was implemented in a 1 /spl mu/m CMOS technology. It was successfully tested and operated at 100 kHz. This led us to the design of a 24/spl times/24 prototype.