Guest Editorial: Optical computing systems

Optical computing benefits from low-loss signal transmission, wide optical bandwidth, and orthogonal multiplexing schemes to address energy and throughput challenges posed by state-of-the-art electronic processors. When an optical processor is synergistically combined with an electronic one, the hybrid system offers ultra-low latency and energy-efficient optical and high-resolution electronic signal processing. Scalable and practical realization of optical computing systems requires research across various aspects, including hardware and control, as well as design algorithms. The field of optical computing is witnessing accelerated progress, with many research groups in academia and industry contributing to it. This Special Topic Collection focuses on significant advances in the field of optical computing and presents the latest theoretical and experimental research results in this area.