# Reinforcement Learning in a large scale photonic Recurrent Neural Network

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/1711.05133 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/1711.05133/

## Key facts

- Cited by 30 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- First posted on arXiv 14 Nov 2017.

## Built on by (most cited first, 30 of 30)

- [Deep physical neural networks enabled by a backpropagation algorithm for arbitrary physical systems](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2104.13386/) (2021)
- [Training of Physical Neural Networks](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2406.03372/) (2024)
- [Backpropagation-free Training of Deep Physical Neural Networks](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2304.11042/) (2023)
- [An optical neural network using less than 1 photon per multiplication](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2104.13467/) (2021)
- [Hybrid training of optical neural networks](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2203.11207/) (2022)
- [Polarization Multiplexed Diffractive Computing: All-Optical Implementation of a Group of Linear Transformations Through a Polarization-Encoded Diffractive Network](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2203.13482/) (2022)
- [Dual adaptive training of photonic neural networks](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2212.06141/) (2022)
- [Knowledge Distillation Circumvents Nonlinearity for Optical Convolutional Neural Networks](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2102.13323/) (2021)
- [Wave-based extreme deep learning based on non-linear time-Floquet entanglement](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2107.08564/) (2021)
- [All-optical graph representation learning using integrated diffractive photonic computing units](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2204.10978/) (2022)
- [Parallel photonic accelerator for decision making using optical spatiotemporal chaos](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2210.06976/) (2022)
- [Intelligent Computing: The Latest Advances, Challenges and Future](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2211.11281/) (2022)
- [High Speed Human Action Recognition using a Photonic Reservoir Computer](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2305.15283/) (2023)
- [Master memory function for delay-based reservoir computers with single-variable dynamics](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2108.12643/) (2021)
- [Noise mitigation strategies in physical feedforward neural networks](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2204.09461/) (2022)
- [Theory of Acceleration of Decision Making by Correlated Time Sequences](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2203.16004/) (2022)
- [EEG Opto-processor: epileptic seizure detection using diffractive photonic computing units](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2301.10167/) (2022)
- [Conflict-free joint decision by lag and zero-lag synchronization in laser network](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2307.15373/) (2023)
- [Asymmetric leader-laggard cluster synchronization for collective decision-making with laser network](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2312.02537/) (2023)
- [Model-free Optical Processors using In Situ Reinforcement Learning with Proximal Policy Optimization](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2507.05583/) (2025)
- [Automated Design and Optimization of Distributed Filtering Circuits via Reinforcement Learning](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2402.14236/) (2024)
- [Impact of white noise in artificial neural networks trained for classification: performance and noise mitigation strategies](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2411.04354/) (2024)
- [Misaligned orientations of 4f optical neural network for image classification accuracy on various datasets](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2210.08004/) (2022)
- [Bandit approach to conflict-free multi-agent Q-learning in view of photonic implementation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2212.09926/) (2022)
- [Convergence and scaling of Boolean-weight optimization for hardware reservoirs](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2305.07908/) (2023)
- [LUM-ViT: Learnable Under-sampling Mask Vision Transformer for Bandwidth Limited Optical Signal Acquisition](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2403.01412/) (2024)
- [Impact of white Gaussian internal noise on analog echo-state neural networks](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2405.07670/) (2024)
- [Optical Computing for Deep Neural Network Acceleration: Foundations, Recent Developments, and Emerging Directions](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2407.21184/) (2024)
- [Training a multilayer dynamical spintronic network with standard machine learning tools to perform time series classification](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2408.02835/) (2024)
- [Photonic reservoir computing with complex networks](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2607.23285/) (2026)

## Abstract (arXiv)

Photonic Neural Network implementations have been gaining considerable attention as a potentially disruptive future technology. Demonstrating learning in large scale neural networks is essential to establish photonic machine learning substrates as viable information processing systems. Realizing photonic Neural Networks with numerous nonlinear nodes in a fully parallel and efficient learning hardware was lacking so far. We demonstrate a network of up to 2500 diffractively coupled photonic nodes, forming a large scale Recurrent Neural Network. Using a Digital Micro Mirror Device, we realize reinforcement learning. Our scheme is fully parallel, and the passive weights maximize energy efficiency and bandwidth. The computational output efficiently converges and we achieve very good performance.