Neuron-Like Optical Spiking Generation Based on Silicon Microcavity

We propose a neuron-like optical spiking generation based on silicon microcavity. In the setup, the micro optomechanical oscillation modulates the silicon cavity, and combined with the coupling between the optical oscillation and spontaneous self-sustained oscillation. The silicon-based photon microcavity chip enters the nonlinear dynamical state, and finally output neuron like spiking pulses. We prove that the optical pulse have all the typical characteristics of nerve spiking pulse, including 4 stages: excited state, oscillated state, relative refractory period I and relative refractory period II. The spiking pulse width is only about 4ns, which is about 1 million times faster than typically biological neuron spiking. Compared with the traditional neuron scheme, the chip size of our optical microcavity has reached about 10 gm, being highly fast processing networks. Especially, the neuron-like spiking is implemented on silicon materials, owning the natural compatibility with CMOS process and good integration scalability. We have also established corresponding physical models for theoretical simulation, and the results show that neuron-like optical spiking can be generated in silicon-based photonic microcavity.