Performances of lightwave interconnection using spatial addressing (LISA) and its application for multi-processor systems

A novel architecture for free-space optical interconnections is described. Named lightwave interconnections using spatial addressing (LISA), it is comprised of optical array devices and simple electrical logic circuits. One application of LISA, an interconnection bus for multiprocessor systems, is proposed and discussed. The theoretical estimation of LISA's fan-out characteristics concludes that fan-out is limited by the characteristics of signal transmission rather than those of the optical system and the limitation is far higher than imposed by electrical interconnection. A 1*16 LISA was implemented and fundamental operations at 200 Mb/s are demonstrated.<
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