All-optical NOR gate based on the interaction between cosine-shaped input beams of orthogonal polarization

The design of an all-optical NOR gate is presented. The logic operation is performed by the nonlinear Kerr interaction between beams that enter with c osine field shapes in a planar waveguide, as could be obtained, for example , by input channel guides. The beams have orthogonal polarizations. The gat e is not phase dependent, grants a fan-out of two, and might also work in t he presence of moderate nonlinear absorption. (C) 1999 Optical Society of A merica [S0740-3224(99)00702-X].