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Multipurpose self-configuration of programmable photonic circuits
Daniel Pérez-López1,2, Aitor López3, Prometheus DasMahapatra3,4
1ITEAM Research Institute, Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera s/n, 46022, Valencia, Spain. dperez@iteam.upv.es.
Nature Communications
|December 14, 2020
Summary
Automating programmable integrated photonic circuits with computational optimization enables self-characterization, auto-routing, and configuration. This advances high-density, complex integrated photonics for future information systems.
Area of Science:
- Photonics and optical engineering
- Computer science and computational methods
- Information systems and technology
Background:
- Programmable integrated photonic circuits offer bandwidth-unconstrained analog signal processing, complementing digital electronics for information systems.
- Current scalability is limited by complex manual control and configuration of numerous variables in photonic waveguide meshes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To propose and experimentally demonstrate automated management approaches for programmable integrated photonic circuits.
- To overcome scalability limitations by enabling simultaneous self-characterization, auto-routing, self-configuration, and optimization.
Main Methods:
- Development of two novel automated management approaches for programmable integrated photonic circuits.
- Experimental validation of the proposed methods for simultaneous circuit management.
- Integration of computational optimization techniques with photonic circuit control.
Main Results:
- Successful demonstration of simultaneous self-characterization, auto-routing, self-configuration, and optimization in programmable photonic circuits.
- Significant advancement in managing complex configurations for scalable photonic integrated circuits.
- Experimental evidence supporting the feasibility of automated control for high-density integrated photonics.
Conclusions:
- The proposed automated management strategies are crucial for advancing programmable integrated photonics.
- This work paves the way for realizing high-density, complex, and scalable integrated photonic systems.
- Combining computational optimization with photonics is key to future innovations in information processing.
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