AMOLF researchers describe their nanostructured metamaterials that can perform mathematical operations. This provides substantial time and energy savings compared to electronic components.

Researchers from research institute AMOLF in Amsterdam, City University of New York and University of Pennsylvania are developing nanostructures of metamaterials that can solve so-called linear inverse problems. Those problems are among the most common mathematical problems in research areas such as engineering, science and economics. The nanostructure can solve these mathematical problems up to 10,000 times faster than conventional electronic components, said Andrea Cordaro, junior researcher at AMOLF. They published their results this month in Nature Nanotechnology.