• Accepted Paper

Flat optics for analog computing: From fundamental mechanisms to advanced meta-processors

Tingting Liu, Jumin Qiu, Xintong Shi, Qiegen Liu, and Shuyuan Xiao

Phys. Rev. Applied - Accepted 15 October, 2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/n5ty-nyzc

Abstract

As the explosive growth of visual data increasingly strains the latency and energy limits of conventional electronic computing, optical analog computing has re-emerged as a disruptive paradigm for zero-power, speed-of-light information processing. Propelled by the unprecedented wave-manipulation capabilities of optical metasurfaces, this field is undergoing a rapid transition from macroscopic physical optics to ultra-compact, on-chip meta-processors. This Review examines the fundamental mechanisms of metasurface-empowered optical computing spanning Fourier-domain, nonlocal spatial-domain, and interferometric architectures that perform mathematical operations, with a particular focus on spatial differentiation and edge detection as representative computing tasks. By emphasizing recent breakthroughs, we highlight the evolution of meta-processors from static, linear regimes to dynamically reconfigurable, nonlinear, and quantum-assisted multidimensional platforms. We also envision how the synergy of AI-driven inverse design and the integration of analog meta-front-ends with optical neural networks will synergistically revolutionize next-generation intelligent machine vision.

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