Breakthrough Microprocessor Chip Uses Light For High Speed Data Transfer

Researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder, in collaboration with the University of California, Berkeley and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have been successful in developing microprocessor chip that uses light, rather than electricity, to transfer data at rapid speeds while consuming minute amounts of energy. This could lead to radical changes in computing systems and network infrastructure, ranging from smartphones to supercomputers to large data centers.

light-enabled-microprocessor-closeup
Using photonics, or light-based technology, information can now be sent using light rather than conventional electricity which would help reduce microchip’s energy burden; as light can be sent across longer distances using the same amount of power. The multiple parallel data streams encoded on different colors of light can be sent over the same medium of an optical wire waveguide on a chip, or an off-chip optical fiber of the same kind as those that form the Internet backbone.

The new chip has bandwidth density of 300 gigabits per second per square millimeter, which is about 10-15 times more than the traditional electrical-only processors currently used. It retains state-of-the-art traditional electronic circuitry while incorporating 850 optical input/output (I/O) components in order to create the first integrated, single-chip design of its kind.

The device measures just 3 millimeters by 6 millimeters, and bridges the gap between current high-speed electronics manufacturing and the needs of next-generation computing for chips with large-scale integrated light circuits.

lightbased-microprocessor-chip
Electrical signals are encoded on light waves in this optical transmitter consisting of a spoked ring modulator, monitoring photodiode (left) and light access port (bottom)​

A new technology can be integrated into current manufacturing processes smoothly by this combination of the optical circuitry and electronic circuitry on a single chip, with minimal disruption. Another advantage is that the wavelength of the infrared light used is less than 1 micron, about one hundredth of the thickness of a human hair. This enables very dense packing of light communication ports on a chip, permitting huge total bandwidth.

In recent years with traditional microprocessor chips, the sheer amount of electricity needed to power the ever-increasing speed and volume of data transfers, has proved to be a bottleneck in computing systems.

However, this high performance optical device built reusing the same materials processing steps that comprise electrical circuits, can well prove to be a ground breaking discovery in this regard.

The findings of the study were published in the journal #-Link-Snipped-#

Source: #-Link-Snipped-#

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