LuxIA: A Lightweight Unitary matriX-based Framework Built on an Iterative Algorithm for Photonic Neural Network Training

TL;DR

LuxIA introduces the Slicing method, a scalable and memory-efficient framework for simulating and training large photonic neural networks, significantly improving speed and scalability over existing tools.

Contribution

The paper presents the Slicing method and integrates it into LuxIA, enabling scalable, efficient simulation and training of large-scale photonic neural networks.

Findings

LuxIA outperforms existing tools in speed and scalability.

The Slicing method reduces memory usage and execution time.

Experimental results on standard datasets validate the framework's effectiveness.

Abstract

PNNs present promising opportunities for accelerating machine learning by leveraging the unique benefits of photonic circuits. However, current state of the art PNN simulation tools face significant scalability challenges when training large-scale PNNs, due to the computational demands of transfer matrix calculations, resulting in high memory and time consumption. To overcome these limitations, we introduce the Slicing method, an efficient transfer matrix computation approach compatible with back-propagation. We integrate this method into LuxIA, a unified simulation and training framework. The Slicing method substantially reduces memory usage and execution time, enabling scalable simulation and training of large PNNs. Experimental evaluations across various photonic architectures and standard datasets, including MNIST, Digits, and Olivetti Faces, show that LuxIA consistently surpasses existing tools in speed and scalability. Our results advance the state of the art in PNN simulation, making it feasible to explore and optimize larger, more complex architectures. By addressing key computational bottlenecks, LuxIA facilitates broader adoption and accelerates innovation in AI hardware through photonic technologies. This work paves the way for more efficient and scalable photonic neural network research and development.