An optofluidic chip, computing device and photosensitive sensor

Abstract

This application discloses an optofluidic chip, a computing device, and a photosensitive sensor. The optofluidic chip includes a substrate, a slit waveguide with nano-slits, a conductive waveguide, a thin layer disposed on the slit waveguide and the conductive waveguide, and a liquid thin film disposed on the thin layer. The slit waveguide is used to propagate the optical field of pulsed light and to form a local optical mode field using the nano-slits. The conductive waveguide is used to absorb the local optical mode field to form plasma, thereby generating optical excitation heat. The thin layer is used to transmit the optical excitation heat, causing a thermocapillary effect in the thin layer and the liquid thin film, which deforms the liquid thin film. The liquid thin film is used to store pulsed light information using the deformation. The technical solution disclosed in this application utilizes a simple optical waveguide, substrate, thin layer, and liquid thin film to achieve the storage of pulsed light information by using optical excitation heat to drive the liquid thin film to flow and deform. This reduces the complexity and cost of the chip structure and the energy consumption of the chip.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of chip technology, and more specifically, to an optofluidic chip, a computing device, and a photosensitive sensor. Background Technology

[0002] Computer devices, sensors, and other similar devices cannot function without chips.

[0003] Currently, existing chips are all implemented using complex electronic integrated circuits, resulting in complex chip structures and high energy consumption. For example, current neuromorphic computing mainly uses very large-scale integrated systems containing electronic analog circuits to simulate neurobiological structures in the nervous system, which suffers from problems such as complex structure, low efficiency, and high energy consumption.

[0004] In conclusion, how to reduce the structural complexity and energy consumption of chips is a technical problem that urgently needs to be solved by those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of this, the purpose of this application is to provide an optofluidic chip, a computing device, and a photosensitive sensor to reduce the structural complexity and energy consumption of the chip.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, this application provides the following technical solution:

[0007] An optofluidic chip includes a substrate, a slot waveguide disposed on the substrate with a nano-slot, a conductive waveguide disposed in the slot waveguide, a thin layer disposed on the slot waveguide and the conductive waveguide, and a liquid film disposed on the thin layer.

[0008] The slot waveguide is used to receive input pulsed light, propagate the optical field of the pulsed light, and form a local optical mode field using the nano-slots.

[0009] The conductive waveguide is used to absorb the local optical mode field to form plasma and generate optical excitation heat.

[0010] The thin layer is used to transmit the optically excited heat, causing the thin layer and the liquid film to generate a thermocapillary effect, thereby causing the liquid film to deform.

[0011] The liquid film is used to store pulsed light information by utilizing the deformation that occurs.

[0012] Preferred options also include:

[0013] A power source connected to the conductive waveguide is used to provide current to the conductive waveguide;

[0014] Accordingly, the conductive waveguide is specifically used to form an electrothermal plasma using the local optical mode field and the current to generate Joule heating.

[0015] Preferably, the power supply is a power supply with adjustable parameters;

[0016] The parameters of the electrothermal plasma are adjusted by regulating the parameters of the adjustable power supply, thereby adjusting the hydrodynamic characteristic parameters of the liquid film.

[0017] Preferred options also include:

[0018] A strip waveguide is used to receive the pulsed light and propagate the optical field of the pulsed light; it is also used to reflect the nonlocal effects of the liquid thin film.

[0019] Preferably, the strip waveguide is a silicon strip waveguide.

[0020] Preferably, the thickness of the silicon strip waveguide is 220nm±20nm, and the width of the silicon strip waveguide is 300nm-500nm.

[0021] Preferably, the liquid film stores the power of the previous pulse of light using the degree of deformation, and uses fluid dynamics to influence the power of the next pulse of light.

[0022] Preferably, the optofluidic chip includes a plurality of the conductive waveguides.

[0023] Preferably, the plurality of the conductive waveguides are located in the same slot waveguide.

[0024] Preferably, the width of the conductive waveguide is smaller than the slot width of the slot waveguide, and the thickness of the conductive waveguide is not greater than the thickness of the slot waveguide.

[0025] Preferably, the slot waveguide is a silicon slot waveguide.

[0026] Preferably, the slot width of the silicon slot waveguide is 50nm-200nm, the width of any silicon waveguide constituting the silicon slot waveguide is 100nm-400nm, and the thickness of the silicon waveguide is 220nm±20nm.

[0027] Preferably, the thin layer is a glass thin layer.

[0028] Preferably, the liquid film is water.

[0029] Preferably, the conductive waveguide is a copper waveguide.

[0030] Preferably, the width of the copper waveguide is 30nm-180nm, and the thickness of the copper waveguide is 100nm-220nm.

[0031] Preferably, the wavelength of the pulsed light is in the C-band of optical communication.

[0032] Preferably, the substrate is a glass substrate.

[0033] A computing device comprising an optofluidic chip as described in any of the preceding claims.

[0034] A photosensitive sensor comprising an optofluidic chip as described in any of the preceding claims.

[0035] This application provides an optofluidic chip, a computing device, and a photosensitive sensor. The optofluidic chip includes a substrate, a slit waveguide disposed on the substrate with nanometer-sized slits, a conductive waveguide disposed within the slit waveguide, a thin layer disposed on the slit waveguide and the conductive waveguide, and a liquid thin film disposed on the thin layer. The slit waveguide is used to receive input pulsed light, propagate the light field of the pulsed light, and form a local optical mode field using the nanometer slits. The conductive waveguide is used to absorb the local optical mode field, form plasma, and generate optical excitation heat. The thin layer is used to transmit the optical excitation heat, causing a thermocapillary effect between the thin layer and the liquid thin film, thereby deforming the liquid thin film. The liquid thin film is used to store pulsed light information using the deformation.

[0036] The technical solution disclosed in this application utilizes simple optical waveguides, substrates, thin layers, and liquid films. By leveraging optical waveguide technology, the nonlinear effects of light and liquid, plasma effects, and thermocapillary effects, it achieves optical excitation to thermally drive the liquid film to flow and deform, thereby storing pulsed light information. In other words, the degree of liquid deformation serves as an optical memory for storage and recall. This application uses relatively simple optical waveguides to replace complex electronic integrated circuits and eliminates the need for other expensive or unstable optical phase change materials. Therefore, it reduces the structural complexity and cost of the chip, improves efficiency, reduces energy consumption, and is easy to implement. Furthermore, since the optofluidic chip provided in this application relies on a liquid environment, its application in neuromorphic computing can more closely approximate real biological neural computing functions. Attached Figure Description

[0037] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the provided drawings without creative effort.

[0038] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an optofluidic chip provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0039] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a cross-section of an optofluidic chip provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0040] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of another optical fluid chip cross-section provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0041] Figure 4 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of another optofluidic chip provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0042] Computing devices, sensors, and other similar devices all rely on chips. Currently, all existing chips are implemented using complex electronic integrated circuits.

[0043] Take brain-inspired computing, a new type of computer technology (specifically including optical computing, quantum computing, protein computing, and brain-inspired computing), as an example. Brain-inspired computing is also known as neuromorphic computing. The core of brain-inspired computing lies in borrowing the information processing patterns or structures of biological nervous systems to construct corresponding computational theories, chip architectures, and application models and algorithms. Brain-inspired computing technology first borrows from the physiological structure and function of the brain to establish a brain-inspired model. Then, it creates actual brain-inspired components in hardware, referencing the structure of neurons in the brain. Finally, by studying the operating mechanisms of human brain learning, memory, and reasoning, and applying these studies to the brain-inspired model, it aims to give it human-like intelligence, and even surpass human intelligence at some levels.

[0044] To date, neuromorphic computing primarily utilizes very large-scale integrated systems (VLSIs) containing electronic analog circuits to simulate neurobiological structures present in the nervous system. At the hardware level, neuromorphic computing can be implemented using oxide-based memristors, spintronic memories, threshold switches, and transistors. In particular, memristors, nonlinear resistors with a memory effect that has rapidly developed in recent years, have found wide applications in storage devices, image sensors, and neural network sensing.

[0045] Using complex electronic integrated circuits to implement neuromorphic computing chips results in problems such as complex structure, low efficiency, and high energy consumption.

[0046] To address this, this application provides an optofluidic chip, a computing device, and a photosensitive sensor, which utilizes a combination of optical waveguides and liquid thin films to achieve memory and storage, thereby solving the problems of complex structure, low efficiency, and high energy consumption inherent in current chips constructed using electronic integrated circuits.

[0047] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0048] See Figure 1 and Figure 2 ,in, Figure 1 This illustration shows a schematic diagram of the structure of an optofluidic chip provided in an embodiment of this application. Figure 2 This paper illustrates a cross-sectional schematic diagram of an optofluidic chip according to an embodiment of this application, wherein... Figure 2 It is perpendicular to the propagation direction of the optical waveguide. An optofluidic chip provided in this application embodiment may include a substrate 1, a slotted waveguide 2 disposed on the substrate 1 with a nanometer-sized slot, a conductive waveguide 3 disposed in the slotted waveguide 2, a thin layer 4 disposed on the slotted waveguide 2 and the conductive waveguide 3, and a liquid thin film 5 disposed on the thin layer 4;

[0049] Among them, the slot waveguide 2 is used to receive the input pulse light, propagate the optical field of the pulse light, and form a local optical mode field using the nano-slot;

[0050] Conductive waveguide 3 is used to absorb local optical mode fields to form plasma and generate optical excitation heat;

[0051] Thin layer 4 is used to transmit optical excitation heat, causing a thermocapillary effect between thin layer 4 and liquid film 5, so that liquid film 5 is deformed.

[0052] Liquid film 5 is used to store pulsed light information by utilizing the deformation that occurs.

[0053] The optical fluidic chip provided in this application achieves memory and storage through a combination of optical waveguides and a liquid thin film 5. The degree of deformation of the liquid thin film 5 constitutes the optical memory. This optical fluidic chip is a non-von Neumann structure integrating in-memory computing.

[0054] Specifically, the optofluidic chip provided in this application includes a substrate 1, a slit waveguide 2 disposed on the substrate 1, a conductive waveguide 3 disposed in the slit waveguide 2, a thin layer 4 covering the slit waveguide 2 and the conductive waveguide 3, and a liquid thin film 5 disposed on the thin layer 4, the upper surface of the liquid thin film 5 being an air layer. The substrate 1 serves a supporting function. The slit waveguide 2 is composed of waveguides located on both sides (specifically, strip waveguides 7), and the slit waveguide 2 is a nano-slit, i.e., nanoscale, to reduce space occupation and the size of the optofluidic chip. Furthermore, the nano-slit waveguide 2 has a nano-confinement effect, allowing light to be better focused within the nano-slit for manipulation and optical realization at a smaller scale. The conductive waveguide 3 (also called conductive rice thread) serves as a nano-heat source; correspondingly, the slit waveguide 2 is an active waveguide (the source mentioned here refers to the heat source), wherein the conductive waveguide 3 can specifically be a metallic waveguide. The upper surface of thin layer 4 is planar. The presence of thin layer 4 allows for a more pronounced thermocapillary effect, resulting in more significant deformation of the liquid film 5, thereby improving the reliability of information storage in the optofluid chip. The liquid film 5 is sufficiently thin, specifically on the nanometer scale. To allow the liquid film 5 to exist on the upper surface of thin layer 4, a barrier can be provided around the upper surface of thin layer 4 (the barrier and thin layer 4 can be an integral structure, or the barrier can be sealed around the upper surface of thin layer 4 to prevent leakage of the liquid film 5).

[0055] Pulsed light is input into the slotted waveguide 2 of the optofluidic chip, where high and low power pulse sequences can correspond to logic "0" and "1" respectively. After receiving the input pulsed light, the slotted waveguide 2 can propagate the light field (specifically, the optical mode field). The nanoscale gaps in the slotted waveguide 2 confine and amplify the light field, forming a localized optical mode field. A conductive waveguide 3 is placed within the slotted waveguide 2 and can interact with light at the nanoscale (both linear and nonlinear). Specifically, the conductive waveguide 3 absorbs the localized optical mode field propagating in the slotted waveguide 2, forming a plasma effect and generating optical excitation heat. The thin layer 4 can be used to transmit the optical excitation heat generated by the conductive waveguide 3, causing a thermocapillary effect (primarily generated in the thin layer 4) in the thin layer 4 and the liquid film 5, thereby causing the liquid to deform (change its geometry). The degree of deformation of the liquid film 5 is the optical memory, that is, the liquid film 5 uses its own deformation to remember and store pulsed light information. In other words, the optofluidic chip provided in this application uses a liquid thin film 5 as an optical memory and the finite relaxation time of the gas-liquid interface as short-term memory, providing a new computer architecture for nanoscale neuromorphic computing.

[0056] Specifically, the optically excited heat generated by the conductive waveguide 3 can be transmitted through the thin layer 4 to the interface between the liquid film 5 and the air layer, thereby triggering the surface tension gradient along the gas-liquid interface, which in turn triggers thermal capillary flow, causing a thickness change in the liquid film 5 near the slotted waveguide 2, resulting in a significant optical-liquid interaction effect (e.g., Figure 2 (See the black arrow shown). Generally, the higher the temperature, the thinner the liquid film 5, and the nonlinear response. Furthermore, when the liquid film 5 is sufficiently thin, its deformation alters the overlap between the evanescent field and the gas phase above it, leading to self-induced changes in optical mode properties, such as phase, intensity, and coupling coefficient (i.e., deformation of the liquid film 5 causes self-induced phase transitions or transmittance changes in the slot waveguide 2). In other words, deformation of the liquid film 5 not only enables the memorization and storage of pulsed light information but also reflects in the optical mode, causing changes in the pulsed light signal in the slot waveguide 2.

[0057] The optofluidic chip provided in this application does not require other expensive or unstable optical phase change materials. Through simple nano-waveguide devices, and leveraging optical waveguide technology, the nonlinear effects of light and liquid, plasma effects, and thermocapillary effects, it utilizes photothermal-driven flow of a liquid thin film 5 to achieve storage and memory, more closely resembling real brain neural activity. Unlike traditional computing methods, the nonlinear response and storage of the optofluidic chip reside in the same spatial region. Therefore, this device implements a non-von Neumann computing architecture, where memory and computing units occupy the same space (liquid thin film 5). In other words, the optofluidic chip of this application is a novel non-von Neumann computing structure that achieves computation (specifically, neuromorphic computing or optical computing) through the mutual coupling of optics and liquid. Since memory and computing units occupy the same space, it functions as a memristor. Therefore, the optofluidic chip of this application can also be called a memristor, integrating the functions of optical sensors, memory, and processors in traditional artificial intelligence systems into one, resulting in a novel integrated sensing, storage, and computing artificial intelligence system.

[0058] As described above, this application replaces complex electronic integrated circuits with relatively simple optical waveguides, eliminating the need for other expensive or unstable optical phase change materials, thus solving the problems of complex chip structures, low efficiency, and high energy consumption in current chips. Furthermore, because the optofluidic chip provided in this application relies on a liquid environment, it more closely resembles a real biological neural computing module and is better suited for neuromorphic computing. Unlike electronic chips, this application presents an optical chip based on nanophotonic devices, achieving memory functionality through fluidity.

[0059] The technical solution disclosed in this application utilizes simple optical waveguides, substrates, thin layers, and liquid films. By leveraging optical waveguide technology, the nonlinear effects of light and liquid, plasma effects, and thermocapillary effects, it achieves optical excitation to thermally drive the liquid film to flow and deform, thereby storing pulsed light information. In other words, the degree of liquid deformation serves as an optical memory for storage and recall. This application uses relatively simple optical waveguides to replace complex electronic integrated circuits and eliminates the need for other expensive or unstable optical phase change materials. Therefore, it reduces the structural complexity and cost of the chip, improves efficiency, reduces energy consumption, and is easy to implement. Furthermore, since the optofluidic chip provided in this application relies on a liquid environment, its application in neuromorphic computing can more closely approximate real biological neural computing functions.

[0060] See Figure 3 It shows a schematic cross-sectional view of another optofluidic chip provided in an embodiment of this application, wherein, Figure 3 It is along the propagation direction of the optical waveguide. An optofluidic chip provided in this application embodiment may further include:

[0061] The power supply 6, which is connected to the conductive waveguide 3, is used to provide current to the conductive waveguide 3;

[0062] Accordingly, the conductive waveguide 3 is specifically used to form an electrothermal plasma using a local optical mode field and current to generate Joule heating.

[0063] The optofluidic chip provided in this application may also include a power supply 6 connected to the conductive waveguide 3, so as to provide current to the conductive waveguide 3 using the power supply 6 connected to the conductive waveguide 3, thereby realizing the conduction of current in the conductive waveguide 3.

[0064] Based on the above, the conductive waveguide 3 can form electrothermal plasma (ETP) by absorbing the local optical mode field and the current provided by the conductive power supply 6. That is, an electrothermal plasma effect is generated near the slot waveguide 2, which enables the optofluid chip to achieve optical memory function by more rapidly exciting the deformation of the liquid thin film 5 through the electrothermal plasma. In other words, after setting the power supply 6 connected to the conductive waveguide 3 in the optofluid chip provided in this application, the optofluid chip realizes nanoscale optical signal storage and computation through the nonlinear interaction mechanism of light, electricity, heat and liquid, relying on optical waveguide technology, nonlinear effect of light and liquid, thermocapillary effect, and electrothermal plasma flow technology.

[0065] By setting a power supply 6 connected to the conductive waveguide 3 in the optofluid chip, the response of the liquid film 5 to pulsed light can be accelerated, thereby improving the storage speed and efficiency of the liquid film 5 for pulsed light information and improving the computational efficiency of the optofluid chip.

[0066] The optical fluid chip provided in this application embodiment has a power supply 6 with adjustable parameters;

[0067] The parameters of the electrothermal plasma are adjusted by regulating the parameters of the adjustable power supply, thereby adjusting the hydrodynamic characteristic parameters of the liquid film 5.

[0068] In the optofluidic chip provided in this application, the power supply 6 connected to the conductive waveguide 3 can specifically be a power supply with adjustable parameters. By adjusting the parameters of the adjustable power supply, the current magnitude can be adjusted, thereby adjusting the parameters of the electrothermal plasma, and further adjusting the hydrodynamic characteristic parameters of the liquid thin film 5. This improves the functional diversity of the optofluidic chip, thereby enhancing its versatility and expanding its applicable scenarios.

[0069] Specifically, the parameters of the adjustable power supply can be adjusted to regulate the metal structure plasmon in the conductive waveguide 3. The adjustment of the metal structure plasmon can affect the optical properties. In other words, the metal structure plasmon and optical properties in the conductive waveguide 3 can be adjusted through electronic control technology, thereby adjusting the electrothermal plasma parameters and, consequently, adjusting the hydrodynamic characteristic parameters of the liquid thin film 5 in the optofluidic chip.

[0070] The optofluidic chip provided in this application embodiment may further include:

[0071] The strip waveguide 7 is used to receive pulsed light and propagate the light field of the pulsed light; it is also used to reflect the nonlocal effects of the liquid thin film 5.

[0072] In this application, the optofluidic chip may further include a strip waveguide 7. Specifically, the strip waveguide 7 may be located near (e.g., adjacent to) the slot waveguide 2, and may be parallel to the slot waveguide 2. Of course, the position of the strip waveguide 7 can be adjusted according to actual needs. There is no conductive waveguide 3 (i.e., heat source) at the strip waveguide 7; therefore, the strip waveguide 7 is a passive waveguide.

[0073] The strip waveguide 7 set in the optofluid chip can receive pulsed light and propagate the optical mode field of the pulsed light; on the other hand, it can be used to reflect the nonlocal effects of the liquid thin film 5.

[0074] Specifically, the deformation of the liquid thin film 5, besides causing self-induced phase transitions or transmittance changes in the active waveguide (i.e., slot waveguide 2), also leads to nonlocal effects. Since the liquid thin film 5 is a single unit, the phase in the strip waveguide 7 placed near the slot waveguide 2 will also change due to the deformation of the liquid thin film 5. Therefore, the nonlocal effects of the liquid thin film 5 can be reflected by setting the strip waveguide 7, enabling the optical fluid chip to perform nonlocal computations, thereby expanding the functionality of the optical fluid chip and improving its versatility. Furthermore, using the structurally simple strip waveguide 7 to reflect nonlocal effects can reduce the structural complexity and cost of the optical fluid chip.

[0075] As can be seen from the above, the optical fluid chip can achieve the following through the nonlinear interaction between light and liquid: (1) self-induced phase transition and memory near the active waveguide; (2) non-limited calculation and information processing can be performed on the nearby passive waveguide due to the flow of liquid.

[0076] The embodiment of this application provides an optofluidic chip, wherein the strip waveguide 7 is a silicon strip waveguide.

[0077] In the optofluidic chip provided in this application, the strip waveguide 7 can specifically be a silicon strip waveguide 7, to realize the optofluidic chip based on a nonlinear silicon-based optical platform. The silicon-based optical platform has a miniaturized cross-section and higher refractive index contrast, which can be used to enhance light intensity, thereby achieving nonlinear responses for various material degrees of freedom. On different nonlinear integration platforms, silicon materials exhibit abundant nonlinear optical effects, and the processing technology is more mature, allowing for the processing of optical signals in low-cost, ultra-compact chips at speeds exceeding those of current electronic devices.

[0078] Since silicon strip waveguides are inexpensive, easy to process, and readily available, they can reduce the cost of optical fluid chips, make optical fluid chips easier to implement, and enable optical fluid chips to have relatively high computational efficiency.

[0079] The optical fluid chip provided in this application embodiment has a silicon strip waveguide 7 with a thickness of 220nm±20nm and a width of 300nm-500nm.

[0080] The thickness of the silicon strip waveguide 7 in the optofluidic chip provided in this application can specifically be 220nm ± 20nm, preferably 220nm, to be compatible with standard 220nm-CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) processing technology. Furthermore, the width of the silicon strip waveguide 7 can specifically be 300nm-500nm.

[0081] As can be seen from the above, the size of the silicon strip waveguide 7 in the optical fluid chip provided in this application is in the nanometer range, that is, the size of the optical fluid chip can be in the nanometer or micro-nano range, thus making the optical fluid chip relatively small in size and occupying a small space.

[0082] The present application provides an optical fluid chip in which the liquid thin film 5 stores the power of the previous pulse of light by utilizing the degree of deformation, and uses fluid dynamics to influence the power of the next pulse of light.

[0083] The optofluidic chip provided in this application influences the geometry of a liquid thin film 5 through pulsed light in a slotted waveguide 2. Changes in the surface shape of the liquid thin film 5 affect the properties of the optical modes in the slotted waveguide 2, such as their reflection and projection characteristics, thus forming a bidirectional light-liquid interaction mechanism. Specifically, the degree of deformation of the liquid thin film 5 serves as an optical storage module, allowing the storage of the power of the previous light pulse and influencing the magnitude of subsequent light pulses in the same driving region using fluid dynamics, thus forming an architecture. As the geometry of the liquid thin film 5 changes, the characteristics of the optical modes undergo a nonlinear response. After the light pulse stops, the magnitude of the deformation of the liquid thin film 5 represents the power of the previous pulse. Specifically, the power P(n) of the nth light pulse causes a change in the thickness h(n) of the liquid thin film 5, and h(n) affects the power P(n+1) of the subsequent (n+1)th optical pulse.

[0084] As can be seen from the above, this application uses a liquid thin film 5 as a medium to reflect the relationship between pulsed light, and uses the liquid thin film 5 to achieve better memory, storage and calculation.

[0085] See Figure 4 The diagram shows a cross-sectional schematic of another optical fluid chip provided in this application embodiment. The optical fluid chip provided in this application embodiment may include multiple conductive waveguides 3.

[0086] The optofluidic chip provided in this application may include multiple conductive waveguides 3 to increase the intensity of plasma generation, thereby facilitating the improvement of the optofluidic chip's efficiency in memory, storage, and computation.

[0087] Furthermore, each of these multiple conductive waveguides 3 can be connected to a corresponding power supply 6 (i.e., there can be multiple power supplies 6, with a one-to-one correspondence between each power supply 6 and a conductive waveguide 3), and each power supply 6 connected to a conductive waveguide 3 can be a power supply with adjustable parameters. By setting multiple conductive waveguides 3 and multiple power supplies 6, a multi-level control mechanism can be formed to significantly improve the efficiency of the optofluidic chip in memory, storage, and computation.

[0088] Of course, only one conductive waveguide 3 can be set depending on the actual situation. When multiple conductive waveguides 3 are set, the optofluid chip becomes a multi-heat source structure, forming a multi-source control mechanism. When a single conductive waveguide 3 is set, the optofluid chip becomes a single-heat source structure.

[0089] The present application provides an optical fluid chip in which multiple conductive waveguides 3 are located in the same slot waveguide 2.

[0090] In this application, when multiple conductive waveguides 3 are disposed in the optofluidic chip, these multiple conductive waveguides 3 can be located in the same slot waveguide 2. The multiple conductive waveguides 3 can be arranged sequentially along the length direction of the slot waveguide 2, and these conductive waveguides 3 do not need to be completely adjacent, but can have a certain spacing. In the aforementioned case, the sum of the lengths of the multiple conductive waveguides 3 is less than the length of the slot waveguide 2, so that the multiple conductive waveguides 3 can be evenly placed in the slot waveguide 2 (specifically as follows). Figure 4 (As shown).

[0091] The present application provides an optofluidic chip in which the width of the conductive waveguide 3 is smaller than the slot width of the slot waveguide 2, and the thickness of the conductive waveguide 3 is not greater than the thickness of the slot waveguide 2.

[0092] In the optofluidic chip provided in this application, the width of the conductive waveguide 3 needs to be smaller than the slot width of the slot waveguide 2 (wherein, the slot width of the slot waveguide 2 is the slot width of the middle slot formed by the waveguides on both sides), so that the conductive waveguide 3 can be placed in the slot waveguide 2 to form an optofluidic chip.

[0093] In addition, the thickness of the conductive waveguide 3 is not higher than the thickness of the slot waveguide 2, that is, the height of the conductive waveguide 3 is not higher than the height of the slot waveguide 2, so that the conductive waveguide 3 can be well placed in the slot waveguide 2 and absorb the local optical mode field in the slot waveguide 2, thereby forming a plasma effect and generating photoexcitation heat.

[0094] The embodiment of this application provides an optofluidic chip, wherein the slot waveguide 2 is a silicon slot waveguide.

[0095] In this application, the slot waveguide 2 included in the optofluidic chip can specifically be a silicon slot waveguide. That is, in this application, the slot waveguide 2 included in the optofluidic chip is a silicon slot waveguide composed of two silicon waveguides (specifically, silicon strip waveguides 7), wherein the two silicon waveguides are of the same size. As can be seen from the foregoing, the optofluidic chip of this application is implemented based on a nonlinear silicon-based optical platform. The silicon-based optical platform has a miniaturized cross-section and a higher refractive index contrast, which can be used to enhance light intensity, thereby realizing nonlinear responses of various material degrees of freedom.

[0096] Because silicon waveguides are inexpensive, easy to process, and readily available, they can reduce the cost of optical fluid chips, make them easier to implement, and enable them to have higher computational efficiency.

[0097] The optical fluid chip provided in this application embodiment has a slot width of 50nm-200nm in the silicon slot waveguide, a width of 100nm-400nm in any silicon waveguide constituting the silicon slot waveguide, and a thickness of 220nm±20nm in the silicon waveguide.

[0098] In the optofluidic chip provided in this application, the slot width of the silicon slot waveguide can specifically be 50nm-200nm (including endpoint values). That is, for the silicon slot waveguide, the slot width of the middle slot formed by the silicon waveguides on both sides can be 50nm-200nm. In addition, the width of any silicon waveguide constituting the silicon slot waveguide can be 100nm-400nm (including endpoint values), and the thickness of any silicon waveguide constituting the silicon slot waveguide can be 220nm±20nm (that is, the thickness of the silicon slot waveguide can be 220nm±20nm), wherein, preferably, it is 220nm, so as to be compatible with the standard 220nm-CMOS processing technology.

[0099] As can be seen from the above, the size of the slot waveguide 2 in the optical fluid chip provided in this application is in the nanometer range, that is, the size of the optical fluid chip can be in the nanometer or micro-nano range, thus making the optical fluid chip relatively small in size and occupying a small space.

[0100] The embodiment of this application provides an optofluid chip, wherein the thin layer 4 is a glass thin layer.

[0101] The thin layer 4 contained in the optofluid chip provided in this application can specifically be a glass thin layer.

[0102] Since glass has a significant thermocapillary effect, is easy to process, and has a low cost, setting the thin layer 4 in the optical fluid chip as a glass thin layer can not only further improve the reliability of the optical fluid chip's memory, storage, and computation, but also make the optical fluid chip easier to implement and reduce its cost.

[0103] The embodiment of this application provides an optofluidic chip in which the liquid film 5 is water.

[0104] The liquid film 5 contained in the optofluid chip provided in this application can specifically be water, that is, water can be used to form the liquid film 5 in the optofluid chip, so as to reduce the cost of the optofluid chip and make the optofluid chip easier to realize.

[0105] Of course, physiological saline, mixed liquids, etc. can also be used as liquid films for optofluidic chips.

[0106] The optofluidic chip provided in this application embodiment has a copper waveguide 3 as the conductive waveguide.

[0107] In this application, a copper conductive waveguide 3 can be used as the conductive waveguide 3 in the optofluidic chip to enhance the plasma effect, reduce the cost of the optofluidic chip, and make the optofluidic chip easier to implement. Furthermore, since the copper waveguide has a thin layer 4 and a liquid film 5, it does not directly contact the air layer. Therefore, the copper waveguide in the optofluidic chip does not undergo oxidation, thereby improving the reliability and extending the lifespan of the optofluidic chip.

[0108] The optofluidic chip provided in this application embodiment has a copper waveguide with a width of 30nm-180nm and a thickness of 100nm-220nm.

[0109] In this application, the width of the copper waveguide is smaller than the width of the slot waveguide 2, and the thickness of the copper waveguide is no greater than the thickness of the slot waveguide 2. Specifically, the width of the copper waveguide can be 30nm-180nm, and the thickness of the copper waveguide can be 100nm-220nm. There are no specific requirements for the length of the copper waveguide, but it needs to be on the micro-nano scale.

[0110] This application provides an optical fluid chip in which the wavelength of the pulsed light is in the C-band of optical communication.

[0111] In this application, the wavelength of the pulsed light transmitted in the optofluidic chip can specifically be the C-band of optical communication, with a wavelength range of 1530nm-1565nm, representing the most conventional optical band and exhibiting the lowest optical loss. Therefore, using the C-band of optical communication as the pulsed light in the optofluidic chip can reduce the optical loss of the pulsed light and improve the accuracy of the optofluidic chip in remembering, storing, and calculating pulsed light information.

[0112] The present application provides an optofluid chip, wherein substrate 1 is a glass substrate.

[0113] The substrate 1 in the optical fluid chip provided in this application can specifically be a glass substrate, so as to reduce the cost of the optical fluid chip, make the optical fluid chip easier to implement, and reduce the complexity of the implementation of the optical fluid chip.

[0114] This application also provides a computing device that may include any of the above-described optofluidic chips.

[0115] This application embodiment can also provide a computing device, which may include any of the above-described optofluidic chips. Specifically, the computing device mentioned herein may be a neuromorphic computing device, an optical computing device, etc.

[0116] Any of the aforementioned optofluidic chips includes a substrate 1, a slit waveguide 2 disposed on the substrate 1 with nano-slits, a conductive waveguide 3 disposed in the slit waveguide 2, a thin layer 4 disposed on the slit waveguide 2 and the conductive waveguide 3, and a liquid thin film 5 disposed on the thin layer 4; wherein, the slit waveguide 2 is used to receive input pulsed light, propagate the optical field of the pulsed light, and form a local optical mode field using the nano-slits; the conductive waveguide 3 is used to absorb the local optical mode field, form plasma, and generate optical excitation heat; the thin layer 4 is used to transmit optical excitation heat, causing the thin layer 4 and the liquid thin film 5 to generate a thermocapillary effect, thereby deforming the liquid thin film 5; the liquid thin film 5 is used to store pulsed light information using the deformation that occurs.

[0117] The optofluidic chip provided in this application does not require other expensive or unstable optical phase change materials. Through simple nano-waveguide devices, and leveraging optical waveguide technology, the nonlinear effects of light and liquid, plasma effects, and thermocapillary effects, it utilizes photothermal-driven flow of a liquid thin film 5 to achieve storage and memory, more closely resembling real brain neural activity. Unlike traditional computing methods, the nonlinear response and storage of the optofluidic chip reside in the same spatial region. Therefore, this device implements a non-von Neumann computing architecture, where memory and computing units occupy the same space (liquid thin film 5). In other words, the optofluidic chip of this application is a novel non-von Neumann computing structure that achieves computation (specifically, neuromorphic computing or optical computing) through the mutual coupling of optics and liquid. Since memory and computing units occupy the same space, it functions as a memristor. Therefore, the optofluidic chip of this application can also be called a memristor, integrating the functions of optical sensors, memory, and processors in traditional artificial intelligence systems into one, resulting in a novel integrated sensing, storage, and computing artificial intelligence system.

[0118] This application replaces complex electronic integrated circuits with relatively simple optical waveguides, solving the problems of complex chip structures, low efficiency, and high power consumption in current chips. Furthermore, because the optofluidic chip provided in this application relies on a liquid environment, it more closely resembles a real biological neural computing module and can be better applied to neuromorphic computing. Unlike electronic chips, this application presents an optical chip based on nanophotonic devices, achieving memory functionality through fluidity.

[0119] The optofluidic chip provided in this application utilizes a simple optical waveguide, substrate, thin layer, and liquid film. By leveraging optical waveguide technology, the nonlinear effects of light and liquid, plasma effects, and thermocapillary effects, it achieves optical excitation and thermal drive of the liquid film to flow and deform, thereby storing pulsed light information. In other words, the degree of liquid deformation serves as an optical memory for storage and recall. This application uses a relatively simple optical waveguide instead of a complex electronic integrated circuit, and eliminates the need for other expensive or unstable optical phase change materials. Therefore, it reduces the chip's structural complexity and cost, improves efficiency, reduces power consumption, and is easy to implement. Furthermore, because the optofluidic chip provided in this application relies on a liquid environment, its application in neuromorphic computing can more closely approximate real biological neural computing functions.

[0120] The aforementioned optofluidic chip is specifically an all-optical memristor, which integrates the functions of optical sensors, memory, and processors in traditional artificial intelligence systems to obtain a new type of integrated sensing, storage, and computing artificial intelligence system.

[0121] By applying any of the aforementioned optofluidic chips to computing devices, the structural complexity and cost of computing devices can be reduced, as well as the energy consumption of computing devices can be reduced and the computing efficiency of computing devices can be improved.

[0122] This application also provides a photosensitive sensor, which may include any of the above-mentioned photofluid chips.

[0123] The optofluidic chip provided in this application can be used not only in computing devices but also in any light-sensitive application. Embodiments of this application also provide a photosensitive sensor, which may include any of the aforementioned optofluidic chips.

[0124] Any of the aforementioned optofluidic chips includes a substrate 1, a slit waveguide 2 disposed on the substrate 1 with nano-slits, a conductive waveguide 3 disposed in the slit waveguide 2, a thin layer 4 disposed on the slit waveguide 2 and the conductive waveguide 3, and a liquid thin film 5 disposed on the thin layer 4; wherein, the slit waveguide 2 is used to receive input pulsed light, propagate the optical field of the pulsed light, and form a local optical mode field using the nano-slits; the conductive waveguide 3 is used to absorb the local optical mode field, form plasma, and generate optical excitation heat; the thin layer 4 is used to transmit optical excitation heat, causing the thin layer 4 and the liquid thin film 5 to generate a thermocapillary effect, thereby deforming the liquid thin film 5; the liquid thin film 5 is used to store pulsed light information using the deformation that occurs.

[0125] The optofluidic chip provided in this application does not require other expensive or unstable optical phase change materials. Through simple nano-waveguide devices, and leveraging optical waveguide technology, the nonlinear effects of light and liquid, plasma effects, and thermocapillary effects, it utilizes photothermal-driven flow of a liquid thin film 5 to achieve storage and memory, more closely resembling real brain neural activity. Unlike traditional computing methods, the nonlinear response and storage of the optofluidic chip reside in the same spatial region. Therefore, this device implements a non-von Neumann computing architecture, where memory and computing units occupy the same space (liquid thin film 5). In other words, the optofluidic chip of this application is a novel non-von Neumann computing structure that achieves computation (specifically, neuromorphic computing or optical computing) through the mutual coupling of optics and liquid. Since memory and computing units occupy the same space, it functions as a memristor. Therefore, the optofluidic chip of this application can also be called a memristor, integrating the functions of optical sensors, memory, and processors in traditional artificial intelligence systems into one, resulting in a novel integrated sensing, storage, and computing artificial intelligence system.

[0126] This application replaces complex electronic integrated circuits with relatively simple optical waveguides, solving the problems of complex chip structures, low efficiency, and high power consumption in current chips. Furthermore, because the optofluidic chip provided in this application relies on a liquid environment, it more closely resembles a real biological neural computing module and can be better applied to neuromorphic computing. Unlike electronic chips, this application presents an optical chip based on nanophotonic devices, achieving memory functionality through fluidity.

[0127] The optofluidic chip provided in this application utilizes a simple optical waveguide, substrate, thin layer, and liquid film. By leveraging optical waveguide technology, the nonlinear effects of light and liquid, plasma effects, and thermocapillary effects, it achieves optical excitation and thermal drive of the liquid film to flow and deform, thereby storing pulsed light information. In other words, the degree of liquid deformation serves as an optical memory for storage and recall. This application uses a relatively simple optical waveguide to replace complex electronic integrated circuits and eliminates the need for other expensive or unstable optical phase change materials. Therefore, it reduces the chip's structural complexity and cost, improves efficiency, reduces energy consumption, and is easy to implement.

[0128] The photosensitive sensor provided in this application can be used in any light-sensitive application, such as autonomous driving, computer vision, and robotics.

[0129] It should be noted that the description of the optical fluid chip-related parts in the computing device and photosensitive sensor provided in the embodiments of this application can be found in the detailed description of the corresponding parts in the optical fluid chip provided in the embodiments of this application, and will not be repeated here.

[0130] It should be noted that, in this document, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used merely to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that the elements inherent in a process, method, article, or apparatus that includes a list of elements are included. Without further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes said element. Additionally, portions of the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of this application that are consistent with the implementation principles of corresponding technical solutions in the prior art have not been described in detail to avoid excessive elaboration.

[0131] The above description of the disclosed embodiments enables those skilled in the art to make or use this application. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be implemented in other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of this application. Therefore, this application is not to be limited to the embodiments shown herein, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

Claims

1. An optofluidic chip, characterized in that, The device includes a substrate, a slot waveguide disposed on the substrate with a nano-slot, a conductive waveguide disposed in the slot waveguide, a thin layer disposed on the slot waveguide and the conductive waveguide, and a liquid film disposed on the thin layer. The slotted waveguide is used to receive input pulsed light, propagate the optical field of the pulsed light, and utilize the nano-slots to confine and amplify the optical field, forming a local optical mode field; the pulsed light in the slotted waveguide affects the geometry of the liquid film; the change in the shape of the liquid film affects the properties of the optical mode in the slotted waveguide; The conductive waveguide is used to absorb the local optical mode field to form plasma and generate optical excitation heat. The thin layer is used to transmit the optical excitation heat generated by the conductive waveguide, causing the thin layer and the liquid film to generate a thermocapillary effect, thereby causing the liquid film to deform. The liquid film is used to store pulsed light information by utilizing the deformation that occurs; the liquid film is on the nanometer scale; the upper surface of the liquid film is an air layer; the deformation of the liquid film changes the overlap between the evanescent field and the gas phase above the liquid film, resulting in a self-induced change in the optical mode properties, causing a change in the pulsed light signal in the slot waveguide; specifically, the liquid film uses the degree of deformation to store the power of the previous pulsed light, and uses hydrodynamics to influence the power of the next pulsed light.

2. The optofluidic chip according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: A power source connected to the conductive waveguide is used to provide current to the conductive waveguide; Accordingly, the conductive waveguide is specifically used to form an electrothermal plasma using the local optical mode field and the current to generate Joule heating.

3. The optofluidic chip according to claim 2, characterized in that, The power supply is a power supply with adjustable parameters; The parameters of the electrothermal plasma are adjusted by regulating the parameters of the adjustable power supply, thereby adjusting the hydrodynamic characteristic parameters of the liquid film.

4. The optofluidic chip according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: A strip waveguide is used to receive the pulsed light and propagate the optical field of the pulsed light. It is also used to reflect the nonlocal effects of the liquid film.

5. The optofluidic chip according to claim 4, characterized in that, The strip waveguide is a silicon strip waveguide.

6. The optofluidic chip according to claim 5, characterized in that, The silicon strip waveguide has a thickness of 220 nm ± 20 nm and a width of 300 nm to 500 nm.

7. The optofluidic chip according to claim 1, characterized in that, The optofluidic chip includes multiple conductive waveguides.

8. The optofluidic chip according to claim 7, characterized in that, Multiple conductive waveguides are located in the same slot waveguide.

9. The optofluidic chip according to claim 1, characterized in that, The width of the conductive waveguide is smaller than the slot width of the slot waveguide, and the thickness of the conductive waveguide is not greater than the thickness of the slot waveguide.

10. The optofluidic chip according to claim 1, characterized in that, The slot waveguide is a silicon slot waveguide.

11. The optofluidic chip according to claim 10, characterized in that, The slot width of the silicon slot waveguide is 50nm-200nm, the width of any silicon waveguide constituting the silicon slot waveguide is 100nm-400nm, and the thickness of the silicon waveguide is 220nm±20nm.

12. The optofluidic chip according to claim 1, characterized in that, The thin layer is a glass thin layer.

13. The optofluidic chip according to claim 1, characterized in that, The liquid film is water.

14. The optofluidic chip according to claim 1, characterized in that, The conductive waveguide is a copper waveguide.

15. The optofluidic chip according to claim 14, characterized in that, The width of the copper waveguide is 30nm-180nm, and the thickness of the copper waveguide is 100nm-220nm.

16. The optofluidic chip according to claim 1, characterized in that, The wavelength of the pulsed light is in the C-band of optical communication.

17. The optofluidic chip according to claim 1, characterized in that, The substrate is a glass substrate.

18. A computing device, characterized in that, Including the photofluid chip as described in any one of claims 1 to 17.

19. A photosensitive sensor, characterized in that, Including the photofluid chip as described in any one of claims 1 to 17.

Images