Optical coprocessor based on spontaneous Brillouin scattering

Abstract: Analog coprocessors for neural networks are an intensively developing field. They provide approximate results of computations for relatively low energy cost and at high speed. We show that a set of ring resonators with Brillouin interaction between photons and phonons, being coupled to a waveguide, can be used to implement matrix-vector multiplication. The input vector is formed by occupancies of the anti-Stokes optical modes pumped via spontaneous Brillouin scattering, i.e, scattering on thermal phonons. Brillouin scattering rates and coupling constants between ring resonators and the waveguide form the matrix. The system allows for parallel computations in frequency band.