Solid state microoptical electromechanical system for reading photonics diffractive memory

Abstract

The present invention comprises a solid-state system for reading information from a photonics diffractive memory. An acousto-optic deflector directs a convergent light beam onto a micro-mirror array which then reflects the light beam onto the photonics diffractive memory at a predetermined point and angle so as to access a packet of information. The compact architecture for this diffractive optics systems in accordance with the present invention integrates a number of components into a compact package, including an acousto-optic deflector and a microoptoelectromechanical system (MOEMS) mirror array whose elements oscillate with a senchronized frequency adapted to that of the acousto-optic deflector. This architecture reduces the addressing component of a reading system for a photonics diffractive memory to a matchbox size.

Description

technical field [0001] The present invention generally relates to a photon diffraction memory. In particular, the invention relates to a device for reading information from a photon diffraction memory. Background technique [0002] The large storage capacity and relatively low cost of CD-ROMs and DVDs has created a stronger demand for larger and cheaper optical storage media. Holographic memory has been proposed to replace optical discs as a large-capacity digital storage medium. The high density and speed of holographic memory comes from the three-dimensional recording and simultaneous readout of the entire packet of data at one time. The main advantage of holographic memory is higher information density (≥10 11 bit / cm 2 ), shorter random access time (≤100 microseconds) and high information transfer rate (10 9 bits per second). [0003] In holographic recording, a beam of light from a coherent monochromatic light source (eg, laser light) is split into a reference beam...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

[0005] Previous holographic devices for recording information in high multiplexing volume holographic memory and for reading that information required components and volumes with very large dimensions, which limited the ability to miniaturize these systems

Because previous holographic devices used motors and large-scale components such as lenses and mirrors, the addressing systems of these previous devices were very slow

Also, the mechanical elements of these previous devices required frequent maintenance to correct errors and malfunctions such as from wear and friction (ie friction)

Also, previous addressing systems were expensive because they used very complex systems to control

Therefore, their price cannot be lowered by mass production

Furthermore, previous devices were not economical in their power consumption

Even if a previous addressing device was accurate when new, wear of the interacting surfaces in relative motion reduces its accuracy over time

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