Pub Date : 2025-05-12DOI: 10.1038/s42254-025-00831-7
Loubnan Abou-Hamdan, Emil Marinov, Peter Wiecha, Philipp del Hougne, Tianyu Wang, Patrice Genevet
Photonic neural networks (PNNs), which share the inherent benefits of photonic systems, such as high parallelism and low power consumption, could challenge traditional digital neural networks in terms of energy efficiency, latency and throughput. However, producing scalable photonic artificial intelligence (AI) solutions remains challenging. To make photonic AI models viable, the scalability problem needs to be solved. Large optical AI models implemented on PNNs are only commercially feasible if the advantages of optical computation outweigh the cost of their input–output overhead. In this Perspective, we discuss how field-programmable metasurface technology may become a key hardware ingredient in achieving scalable photonic AI accelerators and how it can compete with current digital electronic technologies. Programmability or reconfigurability is a pivotal component for PNN hardware, enabling in situ training and accommodating non-stationary use cases that require fine-tuning or transfer learning. Co-integration with electronics, 3D stacking and large-scale manufacturing of metasurfaces would significantly improve PNN scalability and functionalities. Programmable metasurfaces could address some of the current challenges that PNNs face and enable next-generation photonic AI technology. Programmable metasurfaces may offer a transformative approach to scalable photonic neural networks by overcoming key hardware limitations. This Perspective explores their potential to enhance energy efficiency, computation speed, and adaptability, positioning them as a promising alternative to traditional digital artificial intelligence hardware.
{"title":"Programmable metasurfaces for future photonic artificial intelligence","authors":"Loubnan Abou-Hamdan, Emil Marinov, Peter Wiecha, Philipp del Hougne, Tianyu Wang, Patrice Genevet","doi":"10.1038/s42254-025-00831-7","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s42254-025-00831-7","url":null,"abstract":"Photonic neural networks (PNNs), which share the inherent benefits of photonic systems, such as high parallelism and low power consumption, could challenge traditional digital neural networks in terms of energy efficiency, latency and throughput. However, producing scalable photonic artificial intelligence (AI) solutions remains challenging. To make photonic AI models viable, the scalability problem needs to be solved. Large optical AI models implemented on PNNs are only commercially feasible if the advantages of optical computation outweigh the cost of their input–output overhead. In this Perspective, we discuss how field-programmable metasurface technology may become a key hardware ingredient in achieving scalable photonic AI accelerators and how it can compete with current digital electronic technologies. Programmability or reconfigurability is a pivotal component for PNN hardware, enabling in situ training and accommodating non-stationary use cases that require fine-tuning or transfer learning. Co-integration with electronics, 3D stacking and large-scale manufacturing of metasurfaces would significantly improve PNN scalability and functionalities. Programmable metasurfaces could address some of the current challenges that PNNs face and enable next-generation photonic AI technology. Programmable metasurfaces may offer a transformative approach to scalable photonic neural networks by overcoming key hardware limitations. This Perspective explores their potential to enhance energy efficiency, computation speed, and adaptability, positioning them as a promising alternative to traditional digital artificial intelligence hardware.","PeriodicalId":19024,"journal":{"name":"Nature Reviews Physics","volume":"7 6","pages":"331-347"},"PeriodicalIF":39.5,"publicationDate":"2025-05-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145123679","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-05-09DOI: 10.1038/s42254-025-00835-3
Yertay Zhiyenbayev
Yertay Zhiyenbayev recounts how a 2020 paper that demonstrated isolated colour centres in siilicon for use in quantum optics inspired him to pursue this area of research.
{"title":"Colour centres in silicon for scalable quantum networks","authors":"Yertay Zhiyenbayev","doi":"10.1038/s42254-025-00835-3","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s42254-025-00835-3","url":null,"abstract":"Yertay Zhiyenbayev recounts how a 2020 paper that demonstrated isolated colour centres in siilicon for use in quantum optics inspired him to pursue this area of research.","PeriodicalId":19024,"journal":{"name":"Nature Reviews Physics","volume":"7 6","pages":"284-284"},"PeriodicalIF":39.5,"publicationDate":"2025-05-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145123677","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-05-01DOI: 10.1038/s42254-025-00832-6
This International Workers’ Day, we reflect on the role of scientists as workers and call on our readers to collaborate in their communities to improve working conditions for scientists.
{"title":"Scientists are workers","authors":"","doi":"10.1038/s42254-025-00832-6","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s42254-025-00832-6","url":null,"abstract":"This International Workers’ Day, we reflect on the role of scientists as workers and call on our readers to collaborate in their communities to improve working conditions for scientists.","PeriodicalId":19024,"journal":{"name":"Nature Reviews Physics","volume":"7 5","pages":"231-231"},"PeriodicalIF":39.5,"publicationDate":"2025-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.nature.comhttps://www.nature.com/articles/s42254-025-00832-6.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145123669","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-04-25DOI: 10.1038/s42254-025-00823-7
Ravindra Shinde, Claudia Filippi, Anthony Scemama, William Jalby
The era of exascale computing presents both exciting opportunities and unique challenges for quantum mechanical simulations. Although the transition from petaflops to exascale computing has been marked by a steady increase in computational power, it is accompanied by a shift towards heterogeneous architectures, with graphical processing units (GPUs) in particular gaining a dominant role. The exascale era therefore demands a fundamental shift in software development strategies. This Perspective examines the changing landscape of hardware and software for exascale computing, highlighting the limitations of traditional algorithms and software implementations in light of the increasing use of heterogeneous architectures in high-end systems. We discuss the challenges of adapting quantum chemistry software to these new architectures, including the fragmentation of the software stack, the need for more efficient algorithms (including reduced precision versions) tailored for GPUs, and the importance of developing standardized libraries and programming models. The exascale era, driven by GPU-dominated architectures, demands a shift in quantum simulation software. This Perspective examines algorithm adaptation, software fragmentation, and the need for efficient GPU-optimized methods, standardized libraries and scalable programming models for high-performance quantum simulations.
{"title":"Shifting sands of hardware and software in exascale quantum mechanical simulations","authors":"Ravindra Shinde, Claudia Filippi, Anthony Scemama, William Jalby","doi":"10.1038/s42254-025-00823-7","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s42254-025-00823-7","url":null,"abstract":"The era of exascale computing presents both exciting opportunities and unique challenges for quantum mechanical simulations. Although the transition from petaflops to exascale computing has been marked by a steady increase in computational power, it is accompanied by a shift towards heterogeneous architectures, with graphical processing units (GPUs) in particular gaining a dominant role. The exascale era therefore demands a fundamental shift in software development strategies. This Perspective examines the changing landscape of hardware and software for exascale computing, highlighting the limitations of traditional algorithms and software implementations in light of the increasing use of heterogeneous architectures in high-end systems. We discuss the challenges of adapting quantum chemistry software to these new architectures, including the fragmentation of the software stack, the need for more efficient algorithms (including reduced precision versions) tailored for GPUs, and the importance of developing standardized libraries and programming models. The exascale era, driven by GPU-dominated architectures, demands a shift in quantum simulation software. This Perspective examines algorithm adaptation, software fragmentation, and the need for efficient GPU-optimized methods, standardized libraries and scalable programming models for high-performance quantum simulations.","PeriodicalId":19024,"journal":{"name":"Nature Reviews Physics","volume":"7 7","pages":"378-387"},"PeriodicalIF":39.5,"publicationDate":"2025-04-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145123681","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-04-25DOI: 10.1038/s42254-025-00825-5
Yaowen Hu, Di Zhu, Shengyuan Lu, Xinrui Zhu, Yunxiang Song, Dylan Renaud, Daniel Assumpcao, Rebecca Cheng, C. J. Xin, Matthew Yeh, Hana Warner, Xiangwen Guo, Amirhassan Shams-Ansari, David Barton, Neil Sinclair, Marko Loncar
Electro-optics bridges electronics and photonics and serves as a foundation for a wide array of applications from communications and computing to sensing and quantum information. Integrated electro-optic approaches, in particular, enable essential electronic high-speed control for photonics while offering photonic parallelism for electronics. Recent developments in thin-film lithium niobate photonics have advanced its use for electro-optics. This technology offers not only the necessary strong electro-optic coupling but also ultralow optical loss and high microwave bandwidth. Its tight field confinement and compatibility with established nanofabrication techniques allow for excellent reconfigurability and scalability, aiding the creation of devices and systems that were deemed nearly impossible in bulk systems. Building on this platform, various new electro-optic devices1–16 have emerged, which surpass the current state of the art1–9,12–16 and introduce functionalities that previously did not exist3,10,11. Thin-film lithium niobate provides a unique platform to explore various areas of physics, including photonic non-Hermitian synthetic dimensions17–19, active topological physics20,21 and quantum electro-optics15,22–24. In this Review, we present the fundamental principles of electro-optics, drawing connections between fundamental science and state-of-the-art technology. We discuss the accomplishments and prospects of integrated electro-optics enabled by the thin-film lithium niobate platform. The strong electro-optic interaction, low optical loss and high microwave bandwidth of thin-film lithium niobate have enabled applications from computing to quantum information. This Review explores the fundamental principles, recent advances and the future potential of integrated lithium niobate technologies.
{"title":"Integrated electro-optics on thin-film lithium niobate","authors":"Yaowen Hu, Di Zhu, Shengyuan Lu, Xinrui Zhu, Yunxiang Song, Dylan Renaud, Daniel Assumpcao, Rebecca Cheng, C. J. Xin, Matthew Yeh, Hana Warner, Xiangwen Guo, Amirhassan Shams-Ansari, David Barton, Neil Sinclair, Marko Loncar","doi":"10.1038/s42254-025-00825-5","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s42254-025-00825-5","url":null,"abstract":"Electro-optics bridges electronics and photonics and serves as a foundation for a wide array of applications from communications and computing to sensing and quantum information. Integrated electro-optic approaches, in particular, enable essential electronic high-speed control for photonics while offering photonic parallelism for electronics. Recent developments in thin-film lithium niobate photonics have advanced its use for electro-optics. This technology offers not only the necessary strong electro-optic coupling but also ultralow optical loss and high microwave bandwidth. Its tight field confinement and compatibility with established nanofabrication techniques allow for excellent reconfigurability and scalability, aiding the creation of devices and systems that were deemed nearly impossible in bulk systems. Building on this platform, various new electro-optic devices1–16 have emerged, which surpass the current state of the art1–9,12–16 and introduce functionalities that previously did not exist3,10,11. Thin-film lithium niobate provides a unique platform to explore various areas of physics, including photonic non-Hermitian synthetic dimensions17–19, active topological physics20,21 and quantum electro-optics15,22–24. In this Review, we present the fundamental principles of electro-optics, drawing connections between fundamental science and state-of-the-art technology. We discuss the accomplishments and prospects of integrated electro-optics enabled by the thin-film lithium niobate platform. The strong electro-optic interaction, low optical loss and high microwave bandwidth of thin-film lithium niobate have enabled applications from computing to quantum information. This Review explores the fundamental principles, recent advances and the future potential of integrated lithium niobate technologies.","PeriodicalId":19024,"journal":{"name":"Nature Reviews Physics","volume":"7 5","pages":"237-254"},"PeriodicalIF":39.5,"publicationDate":"2025-04-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145123706","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-04-25DOI: 10.1038/s42254-025-00822-8
Joe Briscoe, Jian Shi
Photogalvanic effects are characterized by the presence of light-polarization-dependent non-zero short circuit photocurrent and non-zero open circuit voltage in junction-free bulk non-centrosymmetric semiconductors and metals and have been attributed to the non-trivial Berry parameters of matter. Non-centrosymmetric ferroelectric and piezoelectric halide perovskites demonstrate a coexistence of excellent semiconducting properties, switchable or tunable Berry parameters and spin–momentum locking, and strong spin–orbit coupling, making them an ideal model system to explore the photogalvanic effects, and its use in characterizing topological properties, and to develop novel devices. In this Perspective, we describe various mechanisms to break inversion symmetry in halide perovskites and present the theory and mechanisms of the linear and circular photogalvanic effect in non-centrosymmetric halide perovskites. We discuss the roles of symmetry, strain, chemistry, interface and electric polarization on the linear and circular photogalvanic effect in non-centrosymmetric halide perovskites. We present the key opportunities and challenges of designing and harnessing photogalvanic effects in non-centrosymmetric halide perovskites for unconventional devices for spin computing, sensing and solar energy applications. Non-centrosymmetric ferroelectric and piezoelectric halide perovskites are an ideal model system to explore the photogalvanic effects. This Perspective discusses the opportunities and challenges of designing and harnessing photogalvanic effects in these materials towards unconventional devices for spin computing, sensing and solar energy applications.
{"title":"Photogalvanic effects in non-centrosymmetric halide perovskites","authors":"Joe Briscoe, Jian Shi","doi":"10.1038/s42254-025-00822-8","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s42254-025-00822-8","url":null,"abstract":"Photogalvanic effects are characterized by the presence of light-polarization-dependent non-zero short circuit photocurrent and non-zero open circuit voltage in junction-free bulk non-centrosymmetric semiconductors and metals and have been attributed to the non-trivial Berry parameters of matter. Non-centrosymmetric ferroelectric and piezoelectric halide perovskites demonstrate a coexistence of excellent semiconducting properties, switchable or tunable Berry parameters and spin–momentum locking, and strong spin–orbit coupling, making them an ideal model system to explore the photogalvanic effects, and its use in characterizing topological properties, and to develop novel devices. In this Perspective, we describe various mechanisms to break inversion symmetry in halide perovskites and present the theory and mechanisms of the linear and circular photogalvanic effect in non-centrosymmetric halide perovskites. We discuss the roles of symmetry, strain, chemistry, interface and electric polarization on the linear and circular photogalvanic effect in non-centrosymmetric halide perovskites. We present the key opportunities and challenges of designing and harnessing photogalvanic effects in non-centrosymmetric halide perovskites for unconventional devices for spin computing, sensing and solar energy applications. Non-centrosymmetric ferroelectric and piezoelectric halide perovskites are an ideal model system to explore the photogalvanic effects. This Perspective discusses the opportunities and challenges of designing and harnessing photogalvanic effects in these materials towards unconventional devices for spin computing, sensing and solar energy applications.","PeriodicalId":19024,"journal":{"name":"Nature Reviews Physics","volume":"7 5","pages":"270-279"},"PeriodicalIF":39.5,"publicationDate":"2025-04-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145123671","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-04-17DOI: 10.1038/s42254-025-00826-4
Andres M. Biondi Vaccariello
Andres Biondi Vaccariello explains how a femtosecond laser can machine channels in optical fibres to allow their use as gas sensors.
Andres Biondi Vaccariello解释了飞秒激光如何在光纤中加工通道，使其用作气体传感器。
{"title":"Femtosecond laser machining of microchannels in hollow core fibres","authors":"Andres M. Biondi Vaccariello","doi":"10.1038/s42254-025-00826-4","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s42254-025-00826-4","url":null,"abstract":"Andres Biondi Vaccariello explains how a femtosecond laser can machine channels in optical fibres to allow their use as gas sensors.","PeriodicalId":19024,"journal":{"name":"Nature Reviews Physics","volume":"7 5","pages":"236-236"},"PeriodicalIF":39.5,"publicationDate":"2025-04-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145123672","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-04-11DOI: 10.1038/s42254-025-00827-3
Christophe Couteau, Snežana Lazić
As quantum technologies attract more and more funding, Christophe Couteau and Snežana Lazić argue for a clear and accessible definition of the label ‘quantum’. This would help public and private investors to make the right choices.
{"title":"How to define quantum technology","authors":"Christophe Couteau, Snežana Lazić","doi":"10.1038/s42254-025-00827-3","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s42254-025-00827-3","url":null,"abstract":"As quantum technologies attract more and more funding, Christophe Couteau and Snežana Lazić argue for a clear and accessible definition of the label ‘quantum’. This would help public and private investors to make the right choices.","PeriodicalId":19024,"journal":{"name":"Nature Reviews Physics","volume":"7 5","pages":"234-235"},"PeriodicalIF":39.5,"publicationDate":"2025-04-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145123670","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-04-03DOI: 10.1038/s42254-025-00824-6
This April, we reflect on the varied and surprisingly close connection between physics and cats.
今年四月，我们回顾了物理学和猫之间多样而又惊人的密切联系。
{"title":"The physics of cats","authors":"","doi":"10.1038/s42254-025-00824-6","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s42254-025-00824-6","url":null,"abstract":"This April, we reflect on the varied and surprisingly close connection between physics and cats.","PeriodicalId":19024,"journal":{"name":"Nature Reviews Physics","volume":"7 4","pages":"165-165"},"PeriodicalIF":44.8,"publicationDate":"2025-04-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.nature.com/articles/s42254-025-00824-6.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143787358","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-04-03DOI: 10.1038/s42254-025-00819-3
Shanay Rab, Richard J. C. Brown
The Metre Convention was signed in May 1875, bringing international agreement on how to measure accurately and consistently — a consensus that was essential for trade, industrialization and scientific progress. 150 years later, how does the metrology community continue this tradition?
{"title":"150 years of international cooperation under the Metre Convention","authors":"Shanay Rab, Richard J. C. Brown","doi":"10.1038/s42254-025-00819-3","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s42254-025-00819-3","url":null,"abstract":"The Metre Convention was signed in May 1875, bringing international agreement on how to measure accurately and consistently — a consensus that was essential for trade, industrialization and scientific progress. 150 years later, how does the metrology community continue this tradition?","PeriodicalId":19024,"journal":{"name":"Nature Reviews Physics","volume":"7 5","pages":"232-233"},"PeriodicalIF":39.5,"publicationDate":"2025-04-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145123705","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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