Scientists developed elements for optical neuromorphic computing systems

Scientists from MIET and MPGU have developed non-volatile photonic elements. According to the researchers, these elements make it possible to develop a completely domestic computing system based on the principle of the human brain. The results of the study were published in the leading international scientific journal Acta Materialia (Impact Factor 8.2).

Nanophotonics is about the development of multifunctional materials with new optical properties and photonic devices based on them, for example, photonic integrated circuits (PICs). PIC is an "advanced analogue" of a traditional electronic circuit, where photons act as the main carrier of information instead of electrons.

Today PICs make it possible to perform the simplest computational operations and significantly increase the capacity of modern optoelectronic and optical devices.

Neuromorphic computing concept is similar to the work of the human brain, that is, with a complex neural network with many parallel operations. As a result, it needs a base that will ensure high-speed transmission and processing of data arrays. MIET and MPGU scientists suppose it can be provided by nanophotonic elements developed by them.

Scientists demonstrated the possibility of developing non-volatile photonic elements based on thin films of the chalcogenide compound of germanium, antimony and tellurium Ge2Sb2Te5. The researchers managed to control the properties of Ge2Sb2Te5 thin films formed over a waveguide (a guiding channel through which a wave can propagate) by changing their state between amorphous and crystalline. So they were able to gain control over the signal level at the output of the waveguide, which made it possible to open up new possibilities for further computational operations.

At the same time, researchers improved operational characteristics of the devices based on Ge2Sb2Te5 through chemical modification. MIET and MPGU scientists together with their colleagues from Kurnakov IGIC RAS and ITEP (National Research Center "Kurchatov Institute") modified functional films with tin ions. This allowed to reduce power consumption and prevent spontaneous erasure of data on optical devices.

At the moment Zelenograd Nanotechnology Center and the Scientific-Manufacturing complex "Technological Center" design the PICs.

The developments are carried out within the framework of the “Priority 2030” program with the support of the Russian Science Foundation.