PhD/Postdoc : photonic neuromorphic computing using cavity solitons

The aim of the present project is to exploit the rapid development of both photonic technologies and artificial intelligence to develop brain inspired photonic information processing systems. The ultimate aim is to build new energy consumption, integrated systems suitable for teleommunication applications. As information processing node we will use a cavity soliton, i.e. a pulse of light that travels in a cavity without deformation. Such cavity solitons are currently used to generate frequency combs, i.e. a broad set of equally spaced wavelengths. But they can also be used to process information. On the one hand they can be used as binary systems (logical bits) for implementing solvers for hard combinatorial problems (so called Ising machines ). On the other hand they can be used as information processing nodes that convert temporal information into spectral information, in the context of Reservoir Computing . After initial training on the general theme of the project, the successful candidate will focus on one of these applications. The aim being to gradually become independent and lead his/her own research project.

The project is highly interdisciplinary, requiring advanced knowledge in artificial intelligence and combinatorial optimisation, nonlinear optics, and photonic technologies including integrated photonics. It will require both analytical calculations, numerical simulations, and experimental development.

The position is open either for a PhD student, or for a postdoctoral fellow.