Universal linear optics by programmable multimode interference

Abstract

We introduce a constructive algorithm for universal linear electromagnetic transformations between the $N$ input and $N$ output modes of a dielectric slab. The approach uses out-of-plane phase modulation programmed down to $N^2$ degrees of freedom. The total area of these modulators equals that of the entire slab: our scheme satisfies the minimum area constraint for programmable linear optical transformations. We also present error correction schemes that enable high-fidelity unitary transformations at large $N$. This ``programmable multimode interferometer'' (ProMMI) thus translates the algorithmic simplicity of Mach-Zehnder meshes into a holographically programmed slab, yielding DoF-limited compactness and error tolerance while eliminating the dominant sidewall-related optical losses and directional-coupler-related patterning challenges.

arXiv comment17 pages, 7 figures

References in corpus (11)

• Deep Learning with Coherent Nanophotonic Circuits
• Monolithic Ultrahigh-Q Lithium Niobate Microring Resonator
• Efficient and mode selective spatial mode multiplexer based on Multi-Plane Light Conversion
• Programmable unitary spatial modes manipulation
• Hardware error correction for programmable photonics
• Matrix optimization on universal unitary photonic devices
• Deep learning enabled design of complex transmission matrices for universal optical components
• Simple factorization of unitary transformations
• An all-optical spatial light modulator for field-programmable silicon photonic circuits
• Quantum Logic with Interacting Bosons in 1D
• Quantum simulation of discrete-time Hamiltonians using directionally unbiased linear optical multiports

Cited by in corpus (1)

• Processing entangled photons in high dimensions with a programmable light converter