Improving wave-based analog computing through quantum material platforms and optical control schemes

In the post-Moore's Law era, establishing a viable path forward for computing is a key national strategic objective. Wave-based analog computing, utilizing light and spin waves, has emerged as a promising approach due to its large bandwidth, spatial parallelism, and multiple degrees of freedom offered by both amplitude and phase. To bridge the significant gap between state-of-the-art wave-based computing and electronic computers, in this talk I will present recent advancements in ultrafast optical gates and sensitive imaging systems. I will focus on two primary methods for real-time all-optical programming of optical circuits built on strongly-correlated materials: charge-excitation-based and heat-free Floquet techniques. Additionally, I will introduce a novel microwave-based scanning probe microscope capable of discerning nanoscale waves, such as nanomagnons, travelling in materials. These developments represent crucial steps towards realizing the potential of wave-based computing in the next generation of information processing systems.