Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects
Date of Degree
9-2026
Document Type
Doctoral Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy
Program
Physics
Advisor
Mohammad-Ali Miri
Committee Members
Igor Kuskovsky
Alexander B. Khanikaev
Vinod Menon
Alexey Ovchinnikov
Subject Categories
Numerical Analysis and Scientific Computing | Optics
Keywords
Photonics, Integrated, DFrFT, CWA
Abstract
In recent years, there has been growing interest in analog information processing and unconventional computing using Photonic Integrated Circuits (PICs) to address the increasing demands of next-generation computing. This has driven the development of on-chip architectures capable of implementing fundamental linear operations such as matrix-vector multiplication (MVM), which plays a central role in fields such as quantum information processing and the acceleration of deep neural networks. Within the feed-forward paradigm, interleaved meshes of Mach–Zehnder Interferometers (MZIs) have emerged as the leading architecture for programmable integrated photonics (PIP), enabling real-time implementation of arbitrary linear transformations using tunable phase shifter elements. More recently, an alternative class of programmable photonic architectures based on Multi-Plane Light Conversion (MPLC) has been proposed, consisting of alternating diagonal phase-shifter layers and multimode mixing elements. Although these architectures lack a deterministic synthesis algorithm for the phase actuators, they have been shown to offer several advantages over conventional MZI-based architectures.
In this thesis we investigate the properties and universal capabilities of MPLC architectures utilizing unequally spaced coupled waveguide arrays (CWAs), with a particular emphasis on the well-known Jx-lattice. Defect tolerance and self-calibration properties are studied, demonstrating substantially greater robustness to imperfections than conventional MZI meshes. We further introduce several extensions of the MPLC architecture that demonstrate its flexibility, such as the redistribution of amplitude modulators and their interchangeable use with phase shifters to realize universal transformations with a near-minimal number of tunable units. Collectively, these results provide a broader understanding of the capabilities of MPLC architectures and establish a foundation for their application as a flexible alternative and complement to MZI-based designs.
Recommended Citation
Markowitz, Matthew, "Universal Photonic Circuits with Interlaced Operator Architectures" (2026). CUNY Academic Works.
https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_etds/6916
