The field of photonics has witnessed significant advancements in 2023, contributing to the development of cutting-edge technologies with vast applications in computing, communication, and beyond.
Photonic Memory for Optical Computing: A breakthrough in optical computing has been achieved through the development of nonvolatile integrated photonics. This innovation enables in-memory computing with zero static power consumption, a critical step in addressing current optical computing chips' limitations in power consumption and size. Phase-change materials (PCMs) have been identified as key enablers for photonic memory and nonvolatile neuromorphic photonic chips, allowing large-scale optical computing chips. Researchers from Zhejiang University, Westlake University, and the Institute of Microelectronics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences have developed a 5-bit photonic memory capable of fast volatile modulation and nonvolatile photonic network support for rapid training. This technology uses a low-loss PCM, antimonite (Sb_2S_3), integrated into a silicon photonic platform, leading to an energy-efficient computing process.
High-Speed Tunable Microcomb: Another significant advancement is the development of a high-speed tunable microcomb, a photonic device that produces many equally spaced laser lines, each locked to a specific frequency. This technology, developed by researchers led by University of Rochester's Qiang Lin, could advance wireless communication, imaging, atomic clocks, and more. The device, a lithium niobate resonator, allows manipulation of bandwidth and frequency modulation rates much faster than existing microcombs, promising a new approach to electro-optic processing of coherent microwaves.
Quantum Photonic Chips: Quantum computing on integrated photonic chips has garnered considerable attention, with advancements in specific and universal quantum computing models. Quantum photonic chips have been employed for boson sampling and universal quantum computation, including controlled-NOT gates and Shor’s factorization. Lithium niobate on insulator has emerged as a platform for integrated quantum photonics, underlining the potential of photonic integration in quantum networks and a global quantum internet. These developments indicate that quantum photonic chips are maturing rapidly, becoming an invaluable tool in quantum communication technologies.
In summary, the latest advancements in photonics in 2023 are opening new avenues in optical computing, communication, and quantum technologies. These innovations are expected to have far-reaching impacts on various sectors, reshaping the landscape of future technologies.
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