Optical computing is a type of computing where information is processed using light instead of electricity. This can be done using a variety of different techniques, such as using lasers to read and write data, or using mirrors to redirect light in order to perform calculations. Optical computing has the potential to be much faster and more energy-efficient than traditional electrical computing.
Some of the emerging trends in optical computing include the use of photonic crystals, the use of metamaterials, and the use of plasmonics.