Scalable Photonic Neurons for High-Speed Automatic Modulation Classification

Automatic modulation classification (AMC) is becoming increasingly critical in the context of growing demands for ultra-wideband, low-latency signal intelligence in 5G/6G networks. Photonics-based AMC addresses the bandwidth and real-time adaptability limitations faced by traditional radiofrequency (RF) electronics. This paper presents the first experimental photonic implementation of AMC, achieved through a fully functional photonic neural network built from scalable microring resonators that co-integrate electro-optic modulation and weighting. This work also represents the first system-level deployment of such compact photonic neurons in a real photonic neural network, demonstrating the significant potential of photonic computing for large-scale, complex RF intelligence in next-generation wireless communication systems.