Programmable metasurfaces for future photonic artificial intelligence

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Abou-Hamdan, Loubnan, Marinov, Emil, Wiecha, Peter, del Hougne, Philipp, Wang, Tianyu, Genevet, Patrice
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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author Abou-Hamdan, Loubnan
Marinov, Emil
Wiecha, Peter
del Hougne, Philipp
Wang, Tianyu
Genevet, Patrice
author_facet Abou-Hamdan, Loubnan
Marinov, Emil
Wiecha, Peter
del Hougne, Philipp
Wang, Tianyu
Genevet, Patrice
contents Photonic neural networks (PNNs), which share the inherent benefits of photonic systems, such as high parallelism and low power consumption, could challenge traditional digital neural networks in terms of energy efficiency, latency, and throughput. However, producing scalable photonic artificial intelligence (AI) solutions remains challenging. To make photonic AI models viable, the scalability problem needs to be solved. Large optical AI models implemented on PNNs are only commercially feasible if the advantages of optical computation outweigh the cost of their input-output overhead. In this Perspective, we discuss how field-programmable metasurface technology may become a key hardware ingredient in achieving scalable photonic AI accelerators and how it can compete with current digital electronic technologies. Programmability or reconfigurability is a pivotal component for PNN hardware, enabling in situ training and accommodating non-stationary use cases that require fine-tuning or transfer learning. Co-integration with electronics, 3D stacking, and large-scale manufacturing of metasurfaces would significantly improve PNN scalability and functionalities. Programmable metasurfaces could address some of the current challenges that PNNs face and enable next-generation photonic AI technology.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2505_11659
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Programmable metasurfaces for future photonic artificial intelligence
Abou-Hamdan, Loubnan
Marinov, Emil
Wiecha, Peter
del Hougne, Philipp
Wang, Tianyu
Genevet, Patrice
Optics
Artificial Intelligence
Applied Physics
Photonic neural networks (PNNs), which share the inherent benefits of photonic systems, such as high parallelism and low power consumption, could challenge traditional digital neural networks in terms of energy efficiency, latency, and throughput. However, producing scalable photonic artificial intelligence (AI) solutions remains challenging. To make photonic AI models viable, the scalability problem needs to be solved. Large optical AI models implemented on PNNs are only commercially feasible if the advantages of optical computation outweigh the cost of their input-output overhead. In this Perspective, we discuss how field-programmable metasurface technology may become a key hardware ingredient in achieving scalable photonic AI accelerators and how it can compete with current digital electronic technologies. Programmability or reconfigurability is a pivotal component for PNN hardware, enabling in situ training and accommodating non-stationary use cases that require fine-tuning or transfer learning. Co-integration with electronics, 3D stacking, and large-scale manufacturing of metasurfaces would significantly improve PNN scalability and functionalities. Programmable metasurfaces could address some of the current challenges that PNNs face and enable next-generation photonic AI technology.
title Programmable metasurfaces for future photonic artificial intelligence
topic Optics
Artificial Intelligence
Applied Physics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2505.11659