Four-configuration-context optically reconfigurable gate array with a MEMS interleaving method

We have been developing Optically Reconfigurable Gate Arrays (ORGAs) with higher radiation tolerance than that of a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA). The ORGA configuration is extremely robust against radiation. Moreover, that radiation tolerance of ORGA´s programmable gate array can be increased by exploiting the advantageous high-speed dynamic reconfiguration of an ORGA. Although an ORGA has such a radiation-tolerance benefit, a lot of lasers that are necessary for addressing a holographic memory present concerns related to cost. Therefore, MEMS technology was introduced to reduce the number of lasers. Using a novel interleaving method, the reconfiguration speed is maintained as 10 ns: 1000 lasers and 1,000,000 MEMS mirrors can address one million configuration contexts. This paper presents a proposal of more advanced technique by which one mirror can address four configuration contexts by controlling the mirror angle. Although MEMS mirrors are not expensive, the proposed method contributes to the miniaturization of an ORGA package and to weight reduction.