Scalable photonic tensor cores with out-of-plane phase change memory cell switching

Erik Jung; Lennart Meyer; Dominik Ditz; Wolfram H. P. Pernice

doi:10.1117/12.3022195

18 June 2024 Scalable photonic tensor cores with out-of-plane phase change memory cell switching

Erik Jung, Lennart Meyer, Dominik Ditz, Wolfram H. P. Pernice

Proceedings Volume 13012, Integrated Photonics Platforms III; 130120R (2024) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.3022195
Event: SPIE Photonics Europe, 2024, Strasbourg, France

Conference Poster

Abstract

By means of artificial intelligence (AI), the amount of data processed has experienced an unprecedented surge, necessitating advanced computational techniques and technologies. Simultaneously, the hardware responsible for processing this data must demonstrate energy efficiency while maintaining a compact design. Phase change material based photonic neuromorphic computing addresses these challenges by enabling energy efficient and fast in-memory computation with a high degree of parallelization. The input data, encoded optically, is channeled into an on-chip matrix multiplication setup capable of executing parallel Multiply-Accumulate (MAC) operations using multiple wavelengths. Central to this computation are the PCM cells, which alter their refractive index according to their crystalline state[1]. These PCM cells function as non-volatile on-chip memory units. Typically, the state of these PCM units is established optically, with additional in-plane inputs required for each matrix cell. However, our approach seeks to set the state of the PCM cell using a out-of-plane vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) array positioned atop the photonic-logic matrix. This approach significantly enhances the design flexibility for large scale matrix-vector multiplications and therefore opens up new possibilities for efficient computation.

Citation Download Citation

Erik Jung, Lennart Meyer, Dominik Ditz, and Wolfram H. P. Pernice "Scalable photonic tensor cores with out-of-plane phase change memory cell switching", Proc. SPIE 13012, Integrated Photonics Platforms III, 130120R (18 June 2024); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.3022195

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available