Introduction

Abstract

Optics has long held the promise of high-speed, high-throughput parallel information processing. The focus of its early applications was on analog signal and image processing techniques such as the optical Fourier transform, matrix-vector processors, and correlators. During this period, optics was used nearly exclusively for front-end, preprocessing of wide-bandwidth, high-speed analog signals which were subsequently digitally processed using electronic techniques. Digital signal processing techniques provide higher resolution, improved flexibility and functionality, and increased noise immunity over its analog counterparts and therefore is the preferred method for accurate signal processing.