Recent trends in optical data processing

Optical data processing is an advancing field which has received much attention in recent years. Optical techniques have already shown their applicability in target identification, advanced signal processing operations and advanced linear algebra operations. The potential capabilities of processing of data using photons instead of electrons as the carrier of information have established, beyond any doubt, that the optical techniques will be the next generation technology surpassing electronic techniques in some important areas such as air traffic control, missile guidance and remote sensing. Although great strides have been made in all the areas of optical data processing, the goal of high performance, high speed and very accurate all-optical computers would be realised only around the year 1995. The main difficulty is that the required materials for high resolution and fast spatial light modulators and optical interconnects are yet to be perfected. The present paper reviews the recent trends and the future prospects of optical data processing.