Efficient stochastic parallel gradient descent training for on-chip optical processor

In recent years,space-division multiplexing(SDM)technology,which involves transmitting data information on multiple parallel channels for efficient capacity scaling,has been widely used in fiber and free-space optical communication sys-tems.To enable flexible data management and cope with the mixing between different channels,the integrated reconfig-urable optical processor is used for optical switching and mitigating the channel crosstalk.However,efficient online train-ing becomes intricate and challenging,particularly when dealing with a significant number of channels.Here we use the stochastic parallel gradient descent(SPGD)algorithm to configure the integrated optical processor,which has less com-putation than the traditional gradient descent(GD)algorithm.We design and fabricate a 6×6 on-chip optical processor on silicon platform to implement optical switching and descrambling assisted by the online training with the SPDG algorithm.Moreover,we apply the on-chip processor configured by the SPGD algorithm to optical communications for optical switching and efficiently mitigating the channel crosstalk in SDM systems.In comparison with the traditional GD al-gorithm,it is found that the SPGD algorithm features better performance especially when the scale of matrix is large,which means it has the potential to optimize large-scale optical matrix computation acceleration chips.

Photonic integrated optical phased arrays and their applications[Invited]

In recent years,optical phased arrays(OPAs)have attracted great interest for their potential applications in light detection and ranging(Li DAR),free-space optical communications(FSOs),holography,and so on.Photonic integrated circuits(PICs)provide solutions for further reducing the size,weight,power,and cost of OPAs.In this paper,we review the recent development of photonic integrated OPAs.We summarize the typical architecture of the integrated OPAs and their performance.We analyze the key components of OPAs and evaluate the figure of merit for OPAs.Various applications in Li DAR,FSO,imaging,biomedical sensing,and specialized beam generation are introduced.

Flexible orbital angular momentum mode switching in multimode fibre using an optical neural network chip

Mode-division multiplexing technology has been proposed as a crucial technique for enhancing communication capacity and alleviating growing communication demands.Optical switching,which is an essential component of optical communication systems,enables information exchange between channels.However,existing optical switching solutions are inadequate for addressing flexible information exchange among the mode channels.In this study,we introduced a flexible mode switching system in a multimode fibre based on an optical neural network chip.This system utilised the flexibility of on-chip optical neural networks along with an all-fibre orbital angular momentum(OAM)mode multiplexer-demultiplexer to achieve mode switching among the three OAM modes within a multimode fibre.The system adopted an improved gradient descent algorithm to achieve training for arbitrary 3×3 exchange matrices and ensured maximum crosstalk of less than-18.7 dB,thus enabling arbitrary inter-mode channel information exchange.The proposed optical-neural-network-based mode-switching system was experimentally validated by successfully transmitting different modulation formats across various modes.This innovative solution holds promise for providing effective optical switching in practical multimode communication networks.

Contactless integrated photonic probes:fundamentals,characteristics,and applications

On-chip optical power monitors are indispensable for functional implementation and stabilization of large-scale and complex photonic integrated circuits(PICs).Traditional on-chip optical monitoring is implemented by tapping a small portion of optical power from the waveguide,which leads to signifcant loss.Due to its advantages like non-invasive nature,miniaturization,and complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor(CMOS)process compatibility,a transparent monitor named the contactless integrated photonic probe(CLIPP),has been attracting great attention in recent years.The CLIPP indirectly monitors the optical power in the waveguide by detecting the conductance variation of the local optical waveguide caused by the surface state absorption(SSA)efect.In this review,we frst introduce the fundamentals of the CLIPP including the concept,the equivalent electric model and the impedance read-out method,and then summarize some characteristics of the CLIPP.Finally,the functional applications of the CLIPP on the identifcation and feedback control of optical signal are discussed,followed by a brief outlook on the prospects of the CLIPP.