Journal article
In-memory computing on a photonic platform
- Abstract:
- Collocated data processing and storage are the norm in biological systems. Indeed, the von Neumann computing architecture, that physically and temporally separates processing and memory, was born more of pragmatism based on available technology. As our ability to create better hardware improves, new computational paradigms are being explored. Integrated photonic circuits are regarded as an attractive solution for on-chip computing using only light, leveraging the increased speed and bandwidth potential of working in the optical domain, and importantly, removing the need for time and energy sapping electro-optical conversions. Here we show that we can combine the emerging area of integrated optics with collocated data storage and processing to enable all-photonic in-memory computations. By employing non-volatile photonic elements based on the phase-change material, Ge2Sb2Te5, we are able to achieve direct scalar multiplication on single devices. Featuring a novel single-shot Write/Erase and a drift-free process, such elements can multiply two scalar numbers by mapping their values to the energy of an input pulse and to the transmittance of the device, codified in the crystallographic state of the element. The output pulse, carrying the information of the light-matter interaction, is the result of the computation. Our all-optical approach is novel, easy to fabricate and operate, and sets the stage for development of entirely photonic computers.
- Publication status:
- Published
- Peer review status:
- Peer reviewed
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(Preview, Version of record, pdf, 1008.6KB, Terms of use)
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- Publisher copy:
- 10.1126/sciadv.aau5759
Authors
- Publisher:
- American Association for the Advancement of Science
- Journal:
- Science Advances More from this journal
- Volume:
- 5
- Issue:
- 2
- Pages:
- eaau5759
- Publication date:
- 2019-02-01
- Acceptance date:
- 2018-11-17
- DOI:
- EISSN:
-
2375-2548
- Keywords:
- Pubs id:
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pubs:905406
- UUID:
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uuid:3063a6f8-4cdf-451f-9c32-b04a04a32167
- Local pid:
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pubs:905406
- Source identifiers:
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905406
- Deposit date:
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2019-01-15
Terms of use
- Copyright holder:
- Rios et al
- Copyright date:
- 2019
- Notes:
- © 2019 The Authors, some rights reserved; exclusive licensee American Association for the Advancement of Science. No claim to original U.S. Government Works. Distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0 (CC BY). This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution license, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
- Licence:
- CC Attribution (CC BY)
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