Acousto-optic signal processing

Optical techniques are of great interest for applications in which the parallel processing of information in real time is important. Such applications are related to computing, pattern recognition, and signal processing. There are, however, certain difficulties which have prevented a proliferation of optical processing. These difficulties are largely connected with the need for transducers for the conversion of electronic signals into optical signals and vice versa. Current input transducers are generally slow and severely limited in the number of parallel channels. Acoustooptic Bragg cell devices, however, provide an exception. The present investigation is concerned with applications of these devices in the processing of microwave and radio frequency signals. Attention is given to the passive interception and analysis of enemy signals, radar signal processing, and the acquisition of spread spectrum communications and data transmissions.