A significant breakthrough in optical computing technology has been revealed by engineers from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), promising improved data processing and encryption capabilities. Professor Aydogan Ozcan and his team led the innovative work, demonstrating a reconfigurable diffractive optical network capable of conducting high-dimensional permutation operations, representing a major advancement in telecommunications and data security applications.

Permutation operations, crucial for various applications such as telecommunications and encryption, have traditionally depended on electronic hardware. However, the progress made by the UCLA team involves the use of all-optical diffractive computing to carry out these operations in a multiplexed manner, leading to substantial enhancements in efficiency and scalability.

Through the utilization of the inherent properties of light, the research introduces a new approach for executing high-dimensional permutation operations using a multiplexed diffractive optical network.

The group has created a design that utilizes a reconfigurable multiplexed material, which is organized using advanced learning algorithms. Each layer in the network can tilt in four different directions: 0°, 90°, 180°, and 270°. As a result, a K-layer rotatable diffractive material can execute up to 4^K independent permutation operations, making it incredibly adaptable. To ensure data security, the original input data can be deciphered by applying a specific inverse permutation matrix.

To demonstrate the practicality of this technology, the scientists simulated 256 randomly chosen permutation matrices using four rotatable diffractive layers. Furthermore, they exhibited the adaptability of the design by incorporating degrees of freedom in polarization, which enhanced its multiplexing capabilities.

An experimental confirmation, which utilized terahertz radiation and 3D-printed diffractive layers, closely aligned with the theoretical findings, highlighting the design’s dependability and potential for real-world applications.

The reconfigurable diffractive network enables multifunctional representation through a single fabrication process by offering mechanical reconfigurability. This is especially advantageous for applications in optical switching and encryption, where efficient information transfer and multiplexed processing at high speeds are vital.

The innovative work done by the UCLA team not only lays the groundwork for advanced data processing and encryption techniques but also underscores the substantial potential of optical computing technologies in tackling modern technological obstacles.

Journal reference:

1. G. Ma, X. Yang, B. Bai, J. Li, Y. Li, T. Gan, C-Y. Shen, Y. Zhang, Y. Li, Ç. Isil, M. Jarrahi, A. Ozcan. Multiplexed all-optical permutation operations using a reconfigurable diffractive optical network.