Novel models of computation from novel physical substrates: a bosonic example

Abstract

Unconventional physical computing is producing many novel and exotic devices that can potentially be used in a computational mode. Currently, these tend to be used to implement traditional models of computation, such as boolean logic circuits, or neuromorphic approaches. This runs the risk of failing to exploit the devices to their full potential. Here we describe a methodology for deriving a model of computation and domain specific language more closely matched to a given physical device's capabilities, and illustrate it with a case study of bosonic computing as implemented by a physical multi-component interferometer.

Figures (6)

• Figure 1: The Software Engineering 4-layer modelling architecture. The dashed lines represent relations between layers; the solid lines represent relationships within layers. See text for details.
• Figure 2: The augmented Software Engineering 4-layer modelling architecture. Same notation as Fig. \ref{['fig:kleppe']} with $\mathbb{P}$ denoting power set in the alternative definitions in blue. See text for details.
• Figure 3: The physical compute cycle, adapted from Horsman2014.
• Figure 4: The compute cycle components of fig \ref{['fig:compcycle']} mapped to the 4-layer architecture (see text for details).
• Figure 5: Implementing an internal DSL using a simulation framework. DSL programs are written in a combination of the internal DSL and the host language, such as Python. The supporting framework is written in the host language, to implement the various DSL constructs.