SPATIAL LIGHT REBROADCASTER BIT-SLICE WORD-ADDRESSABLE HOLOGRAPHIC MEMORY

A heteroassociative memory is proposed that allows a key word in a dictionary of key words to be used to recall an associated holographic image in a database of images. A novel bit-slice search approach finds the word sought in a dictionary of key words and generates a beam that selects the corresponding holographic image from a directory of images. Spatial light rebroadcasters are proposed for the key-word database. Optical experimental results demonstrate that spatial light rebroadcasters may be used in loops with image intensifiers and optically addressable liquid-crystal light valves and that the approach can be used to select holograms based on key-word matching. In the case considered, a holographic image having more than 40,000 bits is selected from 8 by using a key word from a dictionary of 8 words.