Wideband operation of 3x3 Mach-Zehnder Interferometer mesh for programmable photonic computing

Teng Ma; Andrea Marchisio; Francesco Da Ros; Vittorio Curri; Andrea Carena; Paolo Bardella

doi:10.1109/ICTON67126.2025.11125174

Wideband operation of 3x3 Mach-Zehnder Interferometer mesh for programmable photonic computing

Teng Ma
, Andrea Marchisio
, Francesco Da Ros
, Vittorio Curri
, Andrea Carena
, Paolo Bardella

Polytechnic University of Turin

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Article in proceedings › Research › peer-review

Abstract

This work demonstrates the wideband performances of a 3-by-3 Mach-Zehnder Interferometer (MZI) mesh used as a programmable photonic logic gate. A digital twin of the device is created by fitting experimental data with a comprehensive circuit model that includes thermal effects. This model is used to identify voltage configurations to implement 15 user-defined Boolean functions at 1550nm. These configurations are then tested across a large wavelength range (1524nm – 1568nm), which includes the entire C-band. Most test functions maintain correct operation across this range, with minor exceptions due to output connection issues. The results indicate a strong potential for wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) to perform multiple logic operations in parallel, boosting computational capabilities. The digital twin allows rapid testing and prototyping of photonic integrated circuits (PICs), supporting their use in photonic computing and AI hardware.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Proceedings of 25^th Anniversary International Conference on Transparent Optical Networks (ICTON2025)
Publisher	IEEE
Publication date	2025
Pages	1-4
Article number	11125174
ISBN (Print)	979-8-3315-9778-8
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1109/ICTON67126.2025.11125174
Publication status	Published - 2025
Event	25^th Anniversary International Conference on Transparent Optical Networks - Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain Duration: 6 Jul 2025 → 10 Jul 2025

Conference

Conference	25^th Anniversary International Conference on Transparent Optical Networks
Location	Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya
Country/Territory	Spain
City	Barcelona
Period	06/07/2025 → 10/07/2025

Keywords

Mach-Zehnder interferometers
Performance evaluation
Photonic integrated circuits
Voltage
Wavelength division multiplexing
Digital twins
Integrated circuit modeling
Wideband
Photonics
Testing

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Cite this

@inproceedings{cdece8af8298431bac9230c0c3a77227,

title = "Wideband operation of 3x3 Mach-Zehnder Interferometer mesh for programmable photonic computing",

abstract = "This work demonstrates the wideband performances of a 3-by-3 Mach-Zehnder Interferometer (MZI) mesh used as a programmable photonic logic gate. A digital twin of the device is created by fitting experimental data with a comprehensive circuit model that includes thermal effects. This model is used to identify voltage configurations to implement 15 user-defined Boolean functions at 1550nm. These configurations are then tested across a large wavelength range (1524nm – 1568nm), which includes the entire C-band. Most test functions maintain correct operation across this range, with minor exceptions due to output connection issues. The results indicate a strong potential for wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) to perform multiple logic operations in parallel, boosting computational capabilities. The digital twin allows rapid testing and prototyping of photonic integrated circuits (PICs), supporting their use in photonic computing and AI hardware.",

keywords = "Mach-Zehnder interferometers, Performance evaluation, Photonic integrated circuits, Voltage, Wavelength division multiplexing, Digital twins, Integrated circuit modeling, Wideband, Photonics, Testing",

author = "Teng Ma and Andrea Marchisio and Ros, \{Francesco Da\} and Vittorio Curri and Andrea Carena and Paolo Bardella",

year = "2025",

doi = "10.1109/ICTON67126.2025.11125174",

language = "English",

isbn = "979-8-3315-9778-8",

pages = "1--4",

booktitle = "Proceedings of 25th Anniversary International Conference on Transparent Optical Networks (ICTON2025)",

publisher = "IEEE",

address = "United States",

note = "25<sup>th</sup> Anniversary International Conference on Transparent Optical Networks , ICTON 2025 ; Conference date: 06-07-2025 Through 10-07-2025",

}

Ma, T, Marchisio, A, Ros, FD, Curri, V, Carena, A & Bardella, P 2025, Wideband operation of 3x3 Mach-Zehnder Interferometer mesh for programmable photonic computing. in Proceedings of 25^th Anniversary International Conference on Transparent Optical Networks (ICTON2025)., 11125174, IEEE, pp. 1-4, 25^th Anniversary International Conference on Transparent Optical Networks , Barcelona, Spain, 06/07/2025. https://doi.org/10.1109/ICTON67126.2025.11125174

Wideband operation of 3x3 Mach-Zehnder Interferometer mesh for programmable photonic computing. / Ma, Teng; Marchisio, Andrea; Ros, Francesco Da et al.
Proceedings of 25^th Anniversary International Conference on Transparent Optical Networks (ICTON2025). IEEE, 2025. p. 1-4 11125174.

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Article in proceedings › Research › peer-review

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T1 - Wideband operation of 3x3 Mach-Zehnder Interferometer mesh for programmable photonic computing

AU - Ma, Teng

AU - Marchisio, Andrea

AU - Ros, Francesco Da

AU - Curri, Vittorio

AU - Carena, Andrea

AU - Bardella, Paolo

PY - 2025

Y1 - 2025

N2 - This work demonstrates the wideband performances of a 3-by-3 Mach-Zehnder Interferometer (MZI) mesh used as a programmable photonic logic gate. A digital twin of the device is created by fitting experimental data with a comprehensive circuit model that includes thermal effects. This model is used to identify voltage configurations to implement 15 user-defined Boolean functions at 1550nm. These configurations are then tested across a large wavelength range (1524nm – 1568nm), which includes the entire C-band. Most test functions maintain correct operation across this range, with minor exceptions due to output connection issues. The results indicate a strong potential for wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) to perform multiple logic operations in parallel, boosting computational capabilities. The digital twin allows rapid testing and prototyping of photonic integrated circuits (PICs), supporting their use in photonic computing and AI hardware.

AB - This work demonstrates the wideband performances of a 3-by-3 Mach-Zehnder Interferometer (MZI) mesh used as a programmable photonic logic gate. A digital twin of the device is created by fitting experimental data with a comprehensive circuit model that includes thermal effects. This model is used to identify voltage configurations to implement 15 user-defined Boolean functions at 1550nm. These configurations are then tested across a large wavelength range (1524nm – 1568nm), which includes the entire C-band. Most test functions maintain correct operation across this range, with minor exceptions due to output connection issues. The results indicate a strong potential for wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) to perform multiple logic operations in parallel, boosting computational capabilities. The digital twin allows rapid testing and prototyping of photonic integrated circuits (PICs), supporting their use in photonic computing and AI hardware.

KW - Mach-Zehnder interferometers

KW - Performance evaluation

KW - Photonic integrated circuits

KW - Voltage

KW - Wavelength division multiplexing

KW - Digital twins

KW - Integrated circuit modeling

KW - Wideband

KW - Photonics

KW - Testing

U2 - 10.1109/ICTON67126.2025.11125174

DO - 10.1109/ICTON67126.2025.11125174

M3 - Article in proceedings

SN - 979-8-3315-9778-8

SP - 1

EP - 4

BT - Proceedings of 25th Anniversary International Conference on Transparent Optical Networks (ICTON2025)

PB - IEEE

T2 - 25<sup>th</sup> Anniversary International Conference on Transparent Optical Networks

Y2 - 6 July 2025 through 10 July 2025

ER -

Wideband operation of 3x3 Mach-Zehnder Interferometer mesh for programmable photonic computing

Abstract

Conference

Keywords

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