Topologically Protected All-Optical Memory

Download:

• Paper

Abstract:

The in-memory processor has played an essential role in overcoming the von Neumann bottleneck, which arises from the partition of memory and a processing unit. Although photonic technologies have recently attracted attention for ultrafast and power-efficient in-memory computing, the realization of an all-optical in-memory processor remains a challenge. This difficulty originates from the contradiction between robustness and sensitivity in wave dynamics, requiring both noise-immune memory states and modulation-sensitive transitions between these states. Here, a building block that provides an all-optical transition between topologically protected memory states is proposed. A nonlinear photonic molecule that satisfies parity-time (PT) symmetry, revealing multiple oscillation quenching states with different degeneracies determined by PT-symmetric phases is investigated. In terms of topology for dynamical systems, these quenching states support topologically protected dynamical trajectories suitable for stable memory states. An all-optical bidirectional transition between these states, which allows incoherent memory switching is demonstrated. The result provides design criteria for all-optical in-memory processors with multilevel operations, enabling the classical-wave counterpart of electronic memristors.

Citation

S. Choi et al., “Topologically Protected All‐Optical Memory.” Advanced Electronic Materials 8: 202200579 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1002/aelm.202200579.

@article{Choi2022,
    title = {Topologically Protected All‐Optical Memory},
    volume = {8},
    ISSN = {2199-160X},
    url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/aelm.202200579},
    DOI = {10.1002/aelm.202200579},
    issue = {10},
    pages = {202200579},
    journal = {Advanced Electronic Materials},
    publisher = {Wiley},
    author = {Choi,  Seou and Kim,  Jungmin and Kwak,  Jeonghun and Park,  Namkyoo and Yu,  Sunkyu},
    year = {2022},
    month = jun 
}

Related material