Circularly-Polarized-Light-Driven Chiral Optoelectronics: Encoding, Sensing, and Neuromorphic Processing from an Information-Flow Perspective

Abstract

Circularly polarized light (CPL) represents an important information carrier beyond mere intensity and wavelength, encoding spin angular momentum that chiral materials can selectively manipulate. By translating molecular and supramolecular mirror asymmetry into chirality-dependent optical and electrical signals, chiral materials provide a physical basis for polarization-sensitive information encoding, readout, and computation. This review summarizes recent advances in CPL-driven optoelectronics from an information-flow perspective, focusing on three main areas: optical encryption, photodetection, and neuromorphic processing. Firstly, we elucidate the core mechanisms of CPL-matter interactions and the origin of chiroptical phenomena in molecular, supramolecular, and nanostructured structures. We then review cutting-edge CPL-based encryption and anticounterfeiting schemes, emphasizing multidimensional encoding that harnesses wavelength, polarization, chirality, and external triggers for enhanced security. Subsequently, we review the development in CPL photodetectors, highlighting chiral semiconductors, innovative device architectures, and their deployment in polarization-discriminating imaging, secure communications, and quantum metrology. Beyond sensing, we further discuss emerging CPL-driven optoelectronic synapses that integrate perception, memory, and computation via polarization-tunable synaptic plasticity. Finally, we highlight critical challenges and prospective pathways toward scalable, multimodal, and adaptive chiral optoelectronic systems.