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Nonlinear analog processing with anisotropic nonlinear films
Michele Cotrufo1,2, Domenico de Ceglia3,4, Hyunseung Jung5
1Photonics Initiative, Advanced Science Research Center, City University of New York, New York, NY 10031, USA.
Nanophotonics (Berlin, Germany)
|November 17, 2025
Summary
This study introduces nonlinear operations to metasurface-based analog optical processing, overcoming limitations of digital computing. Researchers demonstrated a novel method for broadband, polarization-selective edge detection using light.
Area of Science:
- Optics and Photonics
- Nanotechnology
- Computational Science
Background:
- Digital signal processing faces memory and speed limitations in modern technologies.
- Metasurface-based analog optical computing offers a promising alternative for compact nanophotonic systems.
- Current metasurface analog computing is limited to linear operations, restricting applications to Fourier optics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce nonlinear optical operations into metasurface-based analog computing.
- To demonstrate the synthesis of optical kernels beyond linear Fourier optics.
- To experimentally realize nonlinear operations for analog-domain edge detection.
Main Methods:
- Leveraging nonlinear optical phenomena and nonlocality in flat optics.
- Designing and fabricating patterned flat optical elements (metasurfaces).
- Experimental synthesis of nonlinear optical operations for edge detection.
Main Results:
- Successfully introduced nonlinear operations to metasurface analog optical processing.
- Demonstrated the ability to synthesize kernels beyond linear Fourier optics.
- Reported experimental realization of broadband, polarization-selective analog-domain edge detection.
Conclusions:
- Nonlinear metasurface-based analog optical processing opens new avenues beyond linear Fourier optics.
- This approach can overcome critical bottlenecks in digital signal processing.
- The demonstrated edge detection showcases the practical potential of nonlinear analog optical computing.
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