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Experimental polarization-coloured image encoded in a single-wavelength laser beam
Control of a new degree of freedom of light
Published in Nature
Control of a new degree of freedom of light
Published in Nature
In our latest work published in Nature, we demonstrate spatial modulation of the degree of polarization (DOP) in a fully programmable way, unlocking a new degree of freedom of light. This breakthrough enables optical encoding of information in a high-dimensional space, leading to the realization of polarization colours, high-dimensional photonic neural networks, and multidimensional optical encryption. Read more
Article: Alessandro Petrini, Claudio Conti and Davide Pierangeli, Degree-of-polarization modulation for high-dimensional optical computing, Nature (2026).
August 12, 2026
Artistic illustration of the experimental setup with the observed 2D intensity profile of a lump soliton
The first observation of the lump soliton Published in Physical Review Letters
Featured in Physics
The first observation of the lump soliton Published in Physical Review Letters
Featured in Physics
Fifty years after their prediction, our experiments using structured light in a nonlinear crystal reveal lump solitons for the first time. This long-sought two-dimensional localized wave entity is reported in Physical Review Letters as an Editors' Suggestion and highlighted in APS Physics. Read more
Highlight in Physics: Solitons Take Their Lumps in Two Dimensions
February 6, 2026
Prototype of the photonic neural network polarimeter made of optical random layers on a CMOS sensor
Photonic Neural Network Polarimeter Published in Laser & Photonics Reviews
Photonic Neural Network Polarimeter Published in Laser & Photonics Reviews
Optical neural networks are promising for novel photonic devices showcasing performance and capabilities beyond current instruments. In our paper in Laser & Photonics Reviews, we report a single-shot full-Stokes polarimeter based on a photonic random neural network made of cascaded scattering media. This fast, compact, and broadband polarimeter enables new applications in sensing and imaging. Read more
December 26, 2025
Dimensional collapse of nonlinear polarization oscillators into Ising spins
represented in the Poincaré space
High-dimensional Ising machine by nonlinear polarization oscillators
Published in Physical Review Letters
High-dimensional Ising machine by nonlinear polarization oscillators
Published in Physical Review Letters
Ising machines accelerate combinatorial optimization, but conventional low-dimensional architectures frequently stall in local minima. By leveraging the full three-dimensional state space of light polarization, our new photonic Ising machine overcomes this limitation. Based on nonlinear polarization oscillators and a physical mechanism termed dimensional collapse, this platform paves the way for a new class of Ising solvers with enhanced computing capabilities. Read more
Article: Salvatore Chiavazzo, Marcello Calvanese Strinati, Claudio Conti, and Davide Pierangeli, Ising Machine by Dimensional Collapse of Nonlinear Polarization Oscillators, Phys. Rev. Lett. 135, 063801 (2025).
August 4, 2025
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