正如光纤技术（它有巨大速度和带宽的优点）在长距离通讯网络方面已基本取代电子通讯技术一样，计算机科学家长期来也在努力研制光学型或光子型电子计算机。光子比电子有重大的潜在优点，它们可以不受影响地互相渗透，可以使用三维器件（这在电子器件方面是很难或不可能实现的 Just as fiber optic technology, which has the advantage of tremendous speed and bandwidth, has largely replaced electronic communications technology over long-distance communications networks, computer scientists have long struggled with the development of optical or photonic computers. Photons have significant potential advantages over electrons, they can penetrate each other unaffectedly, three-dimensional devices can be used (which is difficult or impossible with electronics)