A computer that can only perform linear operations is not very interesting. Every general-purpose processor needs to be able to perform non-linear operations – which are notoriously hard in optics, even more so when doing it on a chip. Our technology is built around our know-how to generate these nonlinearities in a photonic integrated circuit (PIC). Solving this has been key to our ability to create our all-optical cross-domain compute capabilities.
With our integrated non-linear optical components, we can create much more complex devices. In the digital domain, it allows us to create optical logic gates, in the analog domain, we can create complex mathematical operations. For quantum, it allows us to create an all-optical feed-forward for continuous variables. And, of course, it allows us to create optical memory.
By combining these all-optical computing building blocks, we can create anything. Be it a general-purpose digital optical CPU, an analog optical AI accelerator or an optical quantum computer. But to truly take advantage of the power of optical computing, we need to combine these domains. To be able to do that, we have components such as an all-optical analog-digital converter (ADC). This allows us, for example, to do optical digital control flow and combine it with optical analog mathematics.
Our unique computer architecture goes beyond von Neumann and introduces the next generation of processing. Using our ability to combine our diverse optical compute blocks, we have devised the first architecture that goes beyond the digital domain to take advantage of the power of analog and quantum computing.
There is no limit to the parallelization of our XPUs. Be it by adding more cores or by adding more wavelengths through mulitplexing. Optics offers a unique path to higher performance, while keeping the power consumption at bay. The entire architecture is designed around this premise, offering the user an to use programming interface to take advantage of all these features, without bogging them down with details.
Low power consumption automatically means, low heat output. Our processors are so efficient, the need for fancy cooling solutions or special environments goes away. This allows the deployment of our high-performance processors under unconventional conditions outside of the data center. Who wouldn’t love to see a rugged, ultra high-performance, low power compute solution at the edge?
