Prometheus Horizon Europe initiative showcases programmable photonic processor for neuromorphic and quantum computing applications

PROMETHEUS, an EU-funded project in the framework of Horizon Europe, proudly announces the completion of a high-performance photonic processor based on programmable photonics being capable of unleashing the potential of quantum and neuromorphic computing applications in silicon photonics integrated circuits.

PROMETHEUS’ primary objective is the development of a unified multi-purpose photonic integrated platform that will generate traction in the fields of neuromorphic and quantum engineering. The platform will eventually include both passive and active components alongside high-speed electronics. The generated platform is expected to be a powerful processor for classical and quantum applications targeting high performance edge computing, image processing/classification in industrial and biomedical applications and quantum security applications. The technological cornerstone of PROMETHES relies on the development and upscaling of a high speed reconfigurable photonic circuit that will incorporate highly-dense and fully reconfigurable components along with multiple laser sources on the same chip for the implementation of ultrafast spiking neural networks.

Key Features of PROMETHEUS’s Photonic Processor Include:

Multiple processing units: The processor contains 67 programmable unit cells (PUCs) with minimal losses of 0.6 dB per PUC.

On chip quantum sources: Three quantum sources generating entangled photons at high rates (1 Mphotons/sec) based on spontaneous four wave mixing in spiral waveguides are included.

Multiple inputs for more complex tasks:37 inputs/outputs each offering advanced capabilities of complex neuromorphic/quantum processing compared to the state of the art.

Advanced packaging and control electronics: Low profile horizontal grating couplers provide low loss (3dB) optical interface in a compact and dense fiber array of 64 fibers. The versatile control scheme allows 18 control signals from a field programmable gate array to drive all the 134 phase shifters of the 67 PUCs, ensuring low noise and adjustable signal levels to support different phase-shifter requirements. Wire-bonds in an interleaved fashion provide the necessary bandwidth for fast reconfigurability within a reduced footprint. A dedicated cooling platform provides temperature monitoring and stabilization, reassuring that the photonic processor remains stable over time.

In the next three months, the newly developed devices will be evaluated in AI tasks tailored for photonic accelerators and quantum security tasks aiming to showcase the versatility and multi-functional aspects of the platform.

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