Finding new practical implementations of universal linear optical meshes

A classical computing device comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a memory, wherein the memory stores instructions that when executed by the processor causes the processor to perform a method comprising:
• starting with a known layout of a universal optical mesh, wherein:
• the known layout of the universal linear optical mesh comprises an arrangement of:
• a plurality of waveguides;
• and
• a plurality of couplers distributed over a plurality of interaction stages, wherein each coupler couples two of the waveguides;
• and
• and the method further comprises either:
• generating the revised layout by:
• identifying in the known layout a first arrangement of three couplers across three consecutive waveguides numbered k, k+1 and k+2, wherein a first coupler and a third coupler of the three couplers couple waveguides k+1 and k+2, and a second coupler of the three couplers couples waveguides k and k+1, wherein the second coupler is positioned between the first coupler and the third coupler, and wherein no other couplers positioned between the first coupler and the third coupler couple waveguides k, k+1, or k+2 to another waveguide;
• and
• obtaining the revised layout by replacing the first arrangement of three couplers with a second arrangement of three couplers, wherein the second arrangement of three couplers comprises a first coupler and a third coupler that couple waveguides k and k+1 and a second coupler, positioned between the first coupler and the second coupler, that couples waveguides k+1 and k+2;
• or
• generating the revised layout by:
• identifying in the known layout a first arrangement of three couplers across three consecutive waveguides numbered k, k+1 and k+2, wherein a first coupler and third coupler of the three couplers couple waveguides k and k+1 and a second coupler of the three couplers couples waveguides k+1 and k+2, wherein the second coupler is positioned between the first and third coupler, and wherein no other couplers positioned between the first coupler and the third coupler couple waveguides k, k+1 or k+2 to another waveguide;
• and
• obtaining the revised layout by replacing the first arrangement of three couplers with a second arrangement of three couplers, wherein the second arrangement of three couplers comprises a first coupler and a third coupler that couple waveguides k+1 and k+2 and a second coupler, positioned between the first coupler and the second coupler, that couples waveguides k and k+1.

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions that when executed by a processor cause the processor to implement a method comprising:

• starting with a known layout of a universal optical mesh, wherein:
• the known layout of the universal linear optical mesh comprises an arrangement of:
• a plurality of waveguides;
• and
• a plurality of couplers distributed over a plurality of interaction stages, wherein each coupler couples two of the waveguides;
• and
• and the method further comprises either:
• generating the revised layout by:
• identifying in the known layout a first arrangement of three couplers across three consecutive waveguides numbered k, k+1 and k+2, wherein a first coupler and a third coupler of the three couplers couple waveguides k+1 and k+2, and a second coupler of the three couplers couples waveguides k and k+1, wherein the second coupler is positioned between the first coupler and the third coupler, and wherein no other couplers positioned between the first coupler and the third coupler couple waveguides k, k+1, or k+2 to another waveguide;
• and
• obtaining the revised layout by replacing the first arrangement of three couplers with a second arrangement of three couplers, wherein the second arrangement of three couplers comprises a first coupler and a third coupler that couple waveguides k and k+1 and a second coupler, positioned between the first coupler and the second coupler, that couples waveguides k+1 and k+2;
• or
• generating the revised layout by:
• identifying in the known layout a first arrangement of three couplers across three consecutive waveguides numbered k, k+1 and k+2, wherein a first coupler and third coupler of the three couplers couple waveguides k and k+1 and a second coupler of the three couplers couples waveguides k+1 and k+2, wherein the second coupler is positioned between the first and third coupler, and wherein no other couplers positioned between the first coupler and the third coupler couple waveguides k, k+1 or k+2 to another waveguide;
• and
• obtaining the revised layout by replacing the first arrangement of three couplers with a second arrangement of three couplers, wherein the second arrangement of three couplers comprises a first coupler and a third coupler that couple waveguides k+1 and k+2 and a second coupler, positioned between the first coupler and the second coupler, that couples waveguides k and k+1.