English

2D photoelectric neuron array can achieve broadband and low loss optical nonlinearity accessible to ambient light

1214
2024-03-20 15:47:32
See translation

Light can calculate functions during propagation and interaction with structured materials, with fast speed and low energy consumption. The use of all optical neural networks for general computing requires an optical activation layer with nonlinear dependence on the input. However, existing optical nonlinear materials either have slow speeds or very weak nonlinearity at the level of natural light intensity captured by cameras. Therefore, designing and developing new optical activation functions is crucial for achieving optical neural networks that utilize ambient light for computation.

In a paper published in Nature Communications, a research team led by Professor Duan Xiangfeng and Professor Aydogan Ozcan from the University of California, Los Angeles reported a new strategy using a photonic neuron array to achieve strong optical nonlinearity for broadband incoherent light at low light intensity.

Their devices are heterogeneous and integrated with two-dimensional transparent phototransistors and liquid crystal modulators. Under weak light irradiation, TPT has high electrical resistance, and most of the voltage drop occurs on TPT. LC is not disturbed and maintains transparency. However, at high input optical power, TPT becomes conductive, causing most of the voltage to drop on the LC layer, thereby cutting off optical transmission.

In their experimental demonstration, the designed photoelectric neuron allowed for nonlinear modulation of its own amplitude by spatially and temporally incoherent light in visible light wavelengths, with photon loss of only~20%. They created a 100x100 array of photoelectric neurons and exhibited strong nonlinear behavior under laser and white light irradiation.

The nonlinear photoelectric array is further integrated as part of the mobile phone based imaging system, used for intelligent reduction of glare, selective blocking of strong glare, and almost no attenuation of objects with weaker intensity in the imaging field of view.

Device modeling shows that the optical intensity threshold is very low, only 56 μ W/cm2 produces significant nonlinear response for optimized devices, and the energy consumption per photon activation is as low as 69 fJ.

This photoelectric neuron array can perform nonlinear self amplitude modulation on spatially incoherent light, with characteristics such as low light intensity threshold, strong nonlinear contrast, wide spectral response, fast speed, and low photon loss. For image processing and visual computing systems that do not rely on strong laser beams, this performance is very ideal.

In addition to intelligent glare reduction, the cascaded integration of photoelectric neuron arrays and linear diffraction optical processors can be used to construct nonlinear optical networks, which may be widely used in computational imaging and sensing, and also open the door to the design of new nonlinear optical processors that use ambient light.

Source: Laser Net

Related Recommendations
  • Guangfeng Technology releases the world's first versatile laser headlights

    On April 25th, 2024, the Beijing International Auto Show officially opened, and Guangfeng Technology released the world's first ALL-IN-ONE all-around laser headlights.This headlight is the first to integrate multiple functions such as high beam ADB headlights, color changing temperature headlights, fog lights, ground information display, car cinema, etc. into a small volume headlight module, achie...

    2024-04-29
    See translation
  • South Korean DE&T will open new subsidiaries in the United States and Canada

    Recently, DE&T, a South Korean manufacturer of secondary batteries and display laser equipment, announced that the company will further expand its overseas business by opening new subsidiaries in the United States and Canada. According to its claim, this move is to carry out maintenance services for laser equipment locally. As of now, DE&T's overseas subsidiaries have increased from two to...

    04-08
    See translation
  • The world's smallest blue light laser

    Russian scientists have successfully developed the world's smallest blue nanolaser, with a volume of only 0.005 cubic micrometers, breaking through the diffraction limit theory that the size of the light source must not be smaller than its wavelength. This breakthrough has opened up a new technological path for the development of cutting-edge fields such as ultra high definition displays, quantum ...

    11-19
    See translation
  • Integra Optics launches groundbreaking XGS-PON and GPON combined OLT SFP+optical transceivers

    Infinite Electronics brand and innovative operator level global supplier of fiber optic components, Integra Optics, announced the launch of its latest innovative product, the XGS-PON and GPON combination OLT SFP+BiDi optical transceiver module. This module integrates the passive optical network OLT and GPON OLT optical modules of XG (S), promoting seamless network rate deployment within the optica...

    2024-04-11
    See translation
  • Eoptolink launches optical transceivers for immersion cooling

    Eoptolink Technology has expanded its product portfolio to meet the new market of optical transceiver modules operating in environments using immersion cooling.The Eoptolink EOLO-138HG-5H-SYMR is an optical transceiver for the 800G OSFP DR8, which can be completely immersed in a 2-phase liquid cooling environment. The EOLO-138HG-02-SYMR is an 800G OSFP DR8+. This transceiver has fiber optic tail f...

    2024-03-26
    See translation