Optical Ising Emulator With Nonlinear Multi-Body Interactions

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing photonic systems for solving combinatorial optimization problems, such as k-SAT problems, are limited by two-body interactions and struggle to efficiently emulate multi-body interactions, which are computationally complex and require advanced descriptions of high-order interactions.

Innovation Solution

An optical computation system utilizing a spatial light modulator and nonlinear medium to generate and measure second harmonic beams, enabling emulation of two-body and four-body interactions, with adaptive feedback to evolve towards an approximate ground state.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If photodetection and electronic feedback are used to emulate spin-spin interaction, then the system can solve Ising problems, but it is limited to two-body interactions and cannot efficiently handle multi-body interactions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinteraction order capabilityVSAvoidsystem complexity for multi-body interaction

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces electronic feedback systems with all-optical processing. The optical modulator directly modulates the pump beam based on the modulation mask without requiring photodetection and electronic feedback, enabling multi-body interactions through nonlinear optical effects in the non-linear medium.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The optical modulator with spatial light modulation capability can simultaneously encode multiple interaction orders (two-body, four-body, and higher-order interactions) through a single device by using different modulation masks, making the system universal for various Ising problem types.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Quantity of substance

If spatial light modulation is used to code spins as binary phases of pixels, then the system can subtend about 80,000 spins, but it is limited to only two-body interactions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenumber of spinsVSAvoidinteraction type limitation

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the physical mechanism from linear optical modulation to nonlinear optical interaction. The non-linear medium converts the modulated pump beam to a second harmonic beam, and the intensity of this second harmonic beam encodes multi-body interaction information, allowing the same spatial light modulation approach to support higher-order interactions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Measurement precision

If adaptive feedback is implemented to evolve into effective spin configurations, then the system can approximate ground-states of Ising Hamiltonians, but the computational complexity exceeds capabilities for multi-body interactions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveground state approximation accuracyVSAvoidcomputational speed for multi-body problems

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements continuous optical feedback where the intensity of the second harmonic beam continuously drives the modulation of the pump beam through the optical modulator. This continuous optical action eliminates the need for discrete electronic feedback cycles, maintaining continuous evolution toward the ground state and significantly improving computational speed for multi-body interactions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The system effectively emulates large-scale ising machines with high connectivity and multi-body interactions, capable of solving complex combinatorial optimization problems through adaptive feedback control, facilitating applications in life sciences, sociology, and computer science.

Implementation Method 1

a non linear medium configured to convert a portion of the modulated beam to a second harmonic (SH) beam

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSecond harmonic generation: Second Harmonic Generation

Data Source

PatentEP4150430B1Super ising emulator with multi-body interactions and all-to-all connections

Publication Date: 2025.10.29 STEVENS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

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AI summary

An optical computation system includes a light source configured to produce a pump beam, an optical modulator configured to modulate the pump beam based on the modulation mask to generate a modulated beam, a non-linear medium configured to convert a portion of the modulated beam to a second harmonic (SH) beam and to produce an output including the SH beam and an unconverted portion of the pump beam, and a dichroic mirror configured to receive the output of the non-linear medium and to decouple the SH beam and the unconverted portion of the pump beam, a detector configured to detect a first optical power of the unconverted portion of the pump beam and to detect a second optical power of the SH beam, and a controller configured to generate an updated modulation mask based on the first and second optical powers for transmission to the optical modulator.