Optical storage method and apparatus

Abstract

A storage system based on the propagation delay of light is disclosed which utilizes an array of fiber optics to store the information. The storage device is configured as two loops. Data is injected from one loop and data is continuously recirculated for storage in the other loop. A pulsed laser provides the clocked energy source and is split for use, both, in recirculating the data, and for new data injection. Multiple channels of light are extracted by using a diffraction grating. The source may be interrupted to erase data in the recirculating memory. Recirculation takes place over a single strand fiber optics coil of any length. Multiple frequency encoded channels of data are multiplexed into the single strand of fiber optic with an integrating lens and the channels are decoupled on the other end with a diffraction grating. To prevent compounding signal degradation, optical switches are used to regenerate the signal at each pass through the loop. A beam splitter in the recirculating loop provides for data extraction through the use of a photosensor array. Data is injected into the recirculating loop by pulsing in light using electro-optical shutters. The device is useful for data storage in optical and digital computing. The device may also be used as a platform for recursive optical computing by the placement of optical computing components within the recirculating memory loop.