Scale-, shift-, and rotation-invariant diffractive optical networks

An optical neural network for processing an input object image or signal that is invariant or partially invariant to object or signal transformations comprising:

• a plurality of optically transmissive and/or reflective substrate layers arranged in an optical path, each of the plurality of optically transmissive and/or reflective substrate layers comprising a plurality of physical features formed on or within the plurality of optically transmissive or reflective substrate layers and having different transmission and/or reflection coefficients as a function of the lateral coordinates across each substrate layer, wherein the plurality of optically transmissive and/or reflective substrate layers and the plurality of physical features thereon collectively define a trained mapping function between the input object image or signal to the plurality of optically transmissive and/or reflective substrate layers and one or more output optical signal(s) created by optical diffraction through and/or optical reflection from the plurality of optically transmissive and/or reflective substrate layers;
• a plurality of optical sensors configured to capture the one or more output optical signal(s) resulting from the plurality of optically transmissive and/or reflective substrate layers wherein pairs of optical sensors of the plurality are associated with a particular object class or signal class that is inferred and/or decided by the optical neural network and the output inference and/or decision is made based on a maximum signal calculated using the optical sensor pairs, which corresponds to a particular object class or signal class;
• and
• wherein the plurality of optically transmissive and/or reflective substrate layers are designed during a training phase to define the plurality of physical features formed on or within the plurality of optically transmissive or reflective substrate layers such that the one or more output optical signal(s) are substantially invariant to object or signal transformations comprising one or more of lateral translation, rotation, and/or scaling.

A method of forming a multi-layer optical neural network for processing an input object image or input optical signal that is invariant or partially invariant to object transformations comprising:

• training a software-based neural network model to perform one or more specific optical functions for a multi-layer transmissive and/or reflective network having a plurality of optically diffractive physical features located in different locations in each of the layers of the transmissive and/or reflective network, wherein the training comprises feeding a plurality of different input object images or input optical signals that have random transformations or shifts to the software-based neural network model and computing at least one optical output of optical transmission and/or reflection through the multi-layer transmissive and/or reflective network using an optical wave propagation model and iteratively adjusting transmission/reflection coefficients for each layer of the multi-layer transmissive and/or reflective network until optimized transmission/reflection coefficients are obtained or a certain time or epochs have elapsed;
• manufacturing or having manufactured a physical embodiment of the multi-layer transmissive and/or reflective network comprising a plurality of substrate layers having physical features that match the optimized transmission/reflection coefficients obtained by the trained neural network model and;
• providing a plurality of optical sensors with each optical sensor of the plurality associated with a particular object class or signal class that is inferred and/or decided by the physical embodiment of the multi-layer transmissive and/or reflective network and the output inference and/or decision is made based on a maximum signal among the plurality of optical sensors, which corresponds to a particular object class or signal class.

A method of forming a multi-layer optical neural network for processing an input object image or input optical signal that is invariant or partially invariant to object transformations comprising:

• training a software-based neural network model to perform one or more specific optical functions for a multi-layer transmissive and/or reflective network having a plurality of optically diffractive physical features located in different locations in each of the layers of the transmissive and/or reflective network, wherein the training comprises feeding a plurality of different input object images or input optical signals that have random transformations or shifts to the software-based neural network model and computing at least one optical output of optical transmission and/or reflection through the multi-layer transmissive and/or reflective network using an optical wave propagation model and iteratively adjusting transmission/reflection coefficients for each layer of the multi-layer transmissive and/or reflective network until optimized transmission/reflection coefficients are obtained or a certain time or epochs have elapsed;
• and
• manufacturing or having manufactured a physical embodiment of the multi-layer transmissive and/or reflective network comprising a plurality of substrate layers having physical features that match the optimized transmission/reflection coefficients obtained by the trained neural network model;
• and
• providing a plurality of optical sensors wherein pairs of optical sensors of the plurality are associated with a particular object class or signal class that is inferred and/or decided by the physical embodiment of the multi-layer transmissive and/or reflective network and the output inference and/or decision is made based on a maximum signal calculated using the optical sensor pairs, which corresponds to a particular object class or signal class.