Journal Article

Calculating with light using a chip-scale all-optical abacus

Wright, C. D., Pernice, W. H. P., Ríos, C., Gruhler, N., Bhaskaran, H., Feldmann, J., Stegmaier, M.

2017

Overview

Machines that simultaneously process and store multistate data at one and the same location can provide a new class of fast, powerful and efficient general-purpose computers. We demonstrate the central element of an all-optical calculator, a photonic abacus, which provides multistate compute-and-store operation by integrating functional phase-change materials with nanophotonic chips. With picosecond optical pulses we perform the fundamental arithmetic operations of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division, including a carryover into multiple cells. This basic processing unit is embedded into a scalable phase-change photonic network and addressed optically through a two-pulse random access scheme. Our framework provides first steps towards light-based non-von Neumann arithmetic. Computing approaches in the optical domain would allow for ultra-fast signaling and ultra-high bandwidth capabilities. Here, Feldmann et al. demonstrate a photonic abacus, which provides multistate compute-and store operation by integrating phase-change materials with nanophotonic chips.

• Publisher: Nature Publishing Group UK,Nature Publishing Group,Nature Portfolio
• Subject: 639/301/1019 / 639/624/399 / 639/766/1130/2799 / 639/925/927 / Arithmetic / Computers / Crystallization / Division / Field programmable gate arrays / Humanities and Social Sciences / Integrated circuits / Mathematical analysis / Mathematical functions / Mathematics / multidisciplinary / Optical pulses / Phase change materials / Photonics / Power / Random access / Science / Science (multidisciplinary) / Signaling / Subtraction