The challenges of modern computing and new opportunities for optics

PhotoniX

Table 3 Classification and sources of error parts in OPU ^a

Error parts	Factors		Error type	Sources	Calibrating or compensating
Δ⁽²⁾	Δs, Δt	/	systematic	● non-unifomity of passive devices	possible
	Δa, Δb, Δc	δ^sa, δ^sb, δ^sc	systematic	● non-unifomity of active devices	possible
				● unflatness of source spectrum ^b
				● unflatness of spectral response ^b
		δ^ra, δ^rb, δ^rc	random	● fluctuation of electrical supplier	difficult
				● fluctuation of light source
				● environmental perturbation
				● additional noise from amplifier
				● shot noise of electrons & photons
				● thermal noise
Δ⁽¹⁾	ϵ^A, ϵ^B	ϵ^ER _ A, ϵ^ER _ B	systematic	● limited extinction ratio	depends
Δ⁽¹⁾	ϵ^A, ϵ^B	ϵ^NL _ A, ϵ^NL _ B	systematic	● limited linearity of electro-optical response	possible
Δ^XT	t^XT, s^XT	/	systematic	● crosstalk between routes	difficult
Δ^XT	t^XT, s^XT	/	systematic	● crosstalk between wavelength channels ^b	difficult
Δ⁽⁰⁾	ϵ^C	/	systematic + random	● dark current in detector	difficult
Δ⁽⁰⁾	ϵ^C	/	systematic + random	● other gound noise	difficult

^a The subscript of each variable listed in the table is omitted for notional simplicity
^b Additional considerations are required when WDM technology is applied to implement computing task