  Universal multiport interferometers, which can be programmed to implement any
linear transformation between multiple channels, are emerging as a powerful
tool for both classical and quantum photonics. These interferometers are
typically composed of a regular mesh of beam splitters and phase shifters,
allowing for straightforward fabrication using integrated photonic
architectures and ready scalability. The current, standard design for universal
multiport interferometers is based on work by Reck et al (Phys. Rev. Lett. 73,
58, 1994). We demonstrate a new design for universal multiport interferometers
based on an alternative arrangement of beam splitters and phase shifters, which
outperforms that by Reck et al. Our design occupies half the physical footprint
of the Reck design and is significantly more robust to optical losses.
