The technical framework of optoelectronic hybrid intelligent computing chips focused on artificial intelligence tasks has demonstrated substantial advancement in recent years. This architecture integrates electronic computing flexibility with optical computing advantages of high bandwidth and low power consumption, establishing a promising direction for overcoming traditional electronic computing limitations. Additionally, intelligent all-optical computing technology has emerged as a potential solution for future computing requirements. Through all-optical processing of information transmission and processing, this technology aims to fundamentally address energy consumption and latency issues associated with optical-electrical signal conversion. However, current optoelectronic hybrid chip development remains constrained by optoelectronic signal conversion efficiency, with optical detection and signal conversion technology representing critical bottlenecks.

Optical detection chips serve as essential components in intelligent optical computing systems, demonstrating crucial significance. These chips exhibit high sensitivity and broad wavelength response ranges, enabling precise optical signal reception and conversion while providing reliable data input for intelligent optical computing. Their high integration and intelligent characteristics fulfill optical computing architectural requirements, integrating effectively with light sources, modulators, and other optoelectronic devices to establish compact and efficient optical computing systems capable of large-scale parallel processing. Furthermore, advances in miniaturized packaging technology enable optical detection chips to operate stably within confined spaces, ensuring compact layout and reliable long-term operation of intelligent optical computing devices while enhancing overall system efficiency. Although new photodetectors demonstrate improved performance through novel materials and structures, comprehensive considerations regarding efficiency and power consumption remain crucial in intelligent optical computing applications. This article examines optical detection and signal conversion in optical detection chips, analyzing photodetector basic principles and structures (Fig. 1) and specific requirements for intelligent optical computing scenarios. It explores two optical coupling forms in optical detection chips: surface incident photodetectors (Figs. 2‒3) and waveguide coupled photodetectors (Fig. 4), presenting relevant applications and comparing their advantages in different intelligent optical chip scenarios. Additionally, it examines integrated optical detection chips and contrasts two system architectures: photodetection and computing separation (Fig. 5) and photodetection and computing integration (Fig. 6). Finally, it synthesizes relevant parameters of on-chip photodetectors in current intelligent optical computing applications and outlines development paths for performance optimization, enhanced optoelectronic device integration, and industrial advancement.

The requirements of intelligent all-optical computing have catalyzed technological advancement in optical detection chips. Current development focuses on achieving multi-material functional integration through heterogeneous integration, increasing density via 3D stacking and wafer-level packaging, and optimizing performance through combined photoelectric and thermal simulation. These advancements will propel all-optical computing chips toward enhanced computing power density and energy efficiency, potentially surpassing electronic computing limitations, enabling high-performance computing architectures, advancing artificial intelligence and big data processing, and facilitating photonic chip development and industrialization.