A reconfigurable optical interconnection network for highly parallel architecture

The authors discuss optical network devices and the performances that can be expected. The architectural features of a multiprocessor prototype machine´s software tools, at system and user levels, are described. A survey of applications well suited for reconfigurable architectures using large networks built with optical components is also given. The presented optical network allows any link to be connected to any other link without contention. Such optical networks take advantage of the best features of two technologies by using optics for communications and electronics for computation. It is stated that massively parallel architectures using large networks can be reasonably envisaged with optical components