Optical apparatus for the generation of multiple adjusted signals

An optical apparatus 605 for multiply-accumulate operations in a matrix multiplication unit comprises a temporally incoherent light source 610 illuminating amplitude adjusters 641 to produce adjusted optical signals. A splitter 620 may split the temporally incoherent light into secondary signals. Each secondary signal may have a delay introduced by traveling a different distance. These distances may differ by at least the temporally incoherent light's coherence length. The secondary signals may be demultiplexed 681 before the amplitude adjusters and multiplexed 681′ again afterwards. The temporally incoherent light source may be amplified spontaneous emission, a thermal source, a solid state source, or a white light source. The amplitude adjusters may be optical amplifiers or optical modulators, such as electro-optic modulators, phase change modulators, acousto-optic modulators, or mechanical modulators. Sets of amplitude adjusters may have their own corresponding temporally incoherent light source. Components may be coupled by integrated waveguides 631 or optical fibres, or the apparatus may be a free beam arrangement. The optical apparatus may be part of an integrated optical chip alongside a processor 650, such as an optical multiplication matrix, forming an optical computing system 600. The processor may add adjusted optical signals at the same wavelength while preventing interference.