Physicists at Columbia University have developed a three-dimensional photonic-electronic platform that transmits information at 800 GB/s. A single chip can transfer the equivalent of the entire contents of a hard drive in seconds, up to four times faster than comparable devices.
The main achievement is the integration of photonic communication channels with traditional CMOS electronics, overcoming the limitations of current architectures. The chip’s design is compatible with industry standards, paving the way for the technology to be adopted quickly in mass production.
The development is suitable not only for AI but also for telecommunications and high-performance computing. Lower energy consumption would be an important advantage amid today’s environmental challenges and the need for greater computing capacity.
Naked Science
