All-optical analog differential operation and information processing empowered by meta-devices

The burgeoning demand for high-performance computing, robust data processing, and rapid growth of big data necessitates the emergence of novel optical devices to efficiently execute demanding computational processes. The field of meta-devices, such as metamaterial or metasurface, has experienced unprecedented growth over the past two decades. By manipulating the amplitude, phase, polarization, and dispersion of light wavefronts in spatial, spectral, and temporal domains, viable solutions for the implementation of all-optical analog computation and information processing have been provided. In this review, we summarize the latest developments and emerging trends of computational meta-devices as innovative platforms for spatial optical analog differentiators and information processing. Based on the general concepts of spatial Fourier transform and Green’s function, we analyze the physical mechanisms of meta-devices in the application of amplitude differentiation, phase differentiation, and temporal differentiation and summarize their applications in image edge detection, image edge enhancement, and beam shaping. Finally, we explore the current challenges and potential solutions in optical analog differentiators and provide perspectives on future research directions and possible developments.