Chirality logic gates

The ever-growing demand for faster and more efficient data transfer and processing has brought optical com-putation strategies to the forefront of research in next-generation computing. Here, we report a universal com-puting approach with the chirality degree of freedom. By exploiting the crystal symmetry-enabled well-known chiral selection rules, we demonstrate the viability of the concept in bulk silica crystals and atomically thin semi-conductors and create ultrafast (<100-fs) all-optical chirality logic gates (XNOR, NOR, AND, XOR, OR, and NAND) and a half adder. We also validate the unique advantages of chirality gates by realizing multiple gates with simultaneous operation in a single device and electrical control. Our first demonstrations of logic gates using chiral selection rules suggest that optical chirality could provide a powerful degree of freedom for future optical computing.

Automated summary

This research presents a universal approach for optical computation using the chirality degree of freedom. The viability and unique advantages of chirality gates are demonstrated, providing new possibilities for future optical computing.