Intel Milestone Confirms Light Beams Can Replace Electronic Signals for Future Computers
Intel Creates World's First End-to-End Silicon Photonics Connection with Integrated Lasers; Could Revolutionize Computer Design, Dramatically Increase Performance, Save Energy
SANTA CLARA, Calif., July 27, 2010 –
Intel Corporation today announced an important advance in the quest to
use light beams to replace the use of electrons to carry data in and
around computers. The company has developed a research prototype
representing the world's first silicon-based optical data connection
with integrated lasers. The link can move data over longer distances and
many times faster than today's copper technology; up to 50 gigabits of
data per second. This is the equivalent of an entire HD movie being
transmitted each second.
Today computer components are connected to each other using copper
cables or traces on circuit boards. Due to the signal degradation that
comes with using metals such as copper to transmit data, these cables
have a limited maximum length. This limits the design of computers,
forcing processors, memory and other components to be placed just inches
from each other. Today's research achievement is another step toward
replacing these connections with extremely thin and light optical fibers
that can transfer much more data over far longer distances, radically
changing the way computers of the future are designed and altering the
way the datacenter of tomorrow is architected.From: http://www.intel.com/pressroom/archive/releases/2010/20100727comp_sm.htm
