Digital and plasmonic artificial neural networks-Improved nonlinear signal processing at high speed and low complexity
OPEN ACCESS
Loading...
Author / Producer
Date
2025-11
Publication Type
Journal Article
ETH Bibliography
yes
OPEN ACCESS
Data
Rights / License
Abstract
Transmission at ever higher data rates increasingly demands more advanced digital signal processing techniques, raising both power consumption and operational costs. Here, we introduce a photonic/plasmonic artificial neural network (ANN) using plasmonic modulators to directly mitigate nonlinear signal distortions carried by an optical carrier. This first-of-its-kind plasmonic ANN achieves an ultracompact footprint and high-speed operation and markedly reduces the need for electronic processing. We compare our plasmonic ANN against a traditional digital feed-forward equalizer and a Volterra series, as well as the corresponding digital ANN. The results demonstrate that an astonishingly small ANN outperforms classical equalizers by attaining higher SNR at smaller computational effort. While the digital ANN offers an ideal implementation, executing the ANN on our first plasmonic chip already shows remarkable equalization performance with minimal components. The findings reveal a path toward ultracompact, high-speed, power-efficient, low-latency alternatives to conventional signal processing.
Permanent link
Publication status
published
External links
Editor
Book title
Journal / series
Volume
11 (46)
Pages / Article No.
Publisher
AAAS
Event
Edition / version
Methods
Software
Geographic location
Date collected
Date created
Subject
Organisational unit
03974 - Leuthold, Juerg / Leuthold, Juerg
02635 - Institut für Elektromagnetische Felder / Institute of Electromagnetic Fields
Notes
Funding
871391 - Energy- and Size-efficient Ultra-fast Plasmonic Circuits for Neuromorphic Computing Architectures (EC)
871658 - Neuro-augmented 112Gbaud CMOS plasmonic transceiver platform for Intra- and Inter-DCI (EC)
22-2 ETH-037 - ETH Grant application 22-2 ETH-037: Electronic-Plasmonic Chips for Next Generation Mobile Communications (ETHZ)
871658 - Neuro-augmented 112Gbaud CMOS plasmonic transceiver platform for Intra- and Inter-DCI (EC)
22-2 ETH-037 - ETH Grant application 22-2 ETH-037: Electronic-Plasmonic Chips for Next Generation Mobile Communications (ETHZ)