Modular architectures for optoelectronic multistage interconnection networks

This paper describes three multistage interconnection network (MIN) architectures that can be efficiently implemented with optoelectronic technology. These architectures target different applications and therefore have distinct cost, performance and functionality characteristics. All the architectures can be built using a common hardware module. This module is a perfect shuffle MIN that utilizes simple processing elements (less than 200 logic gates per PE). Previously, we have shown that optoelectronic (e.g. smart-pixel) implementation of such modules is highly efficient, while electronic implementations suffer in scalability due to the large number of wire crossovers required in the perfect shuffle interconnection and their length [1, 2]. Our approach allows a single optoelectronic packaging scheme to be applied in several applications, thus lowering the hardware development cost and increasing the number of potential users.