Optical Omega network: a compact implementation technique.

We propose a technique for the compact implementation of an optical Omega network. This technique utilizes the concept that both the perfect-shuffle interconnection and the switching stages can be realized by the same procedures, i.e., duplicate, shift, superimpose, and mask. As a result, a single set of optics is sufficient to realize the whole Omega network in a time-multiplexed recursive manner. Optical setups were designed and a proof-of-principle experiment was performed.