You are not logged in.
This topic is inspired by contributions to this forum by kbd512.
kbd512 has reported upon developments in this field, and with any luck (and as he has time) I'm hoping he will continue looking for research and actual applications in this field.
Today Interesting Engineering reported on what appears to be significant work by Chinese researchers.
https://interestingengineering.com/inno … k-on-light
The author of the report has a background as a Molecular Biologist.
A feature of the article that caught my attention is the idea of using photons as the clock pulse for a hybrid chip that includes electronic subsystems. It appears (if I understand the report, and assuming it is accurate) speeds of 100 GHz may be possible, compared to clock speeds we see in our existing devices, which are limited by the physics of electrons moving in matter.
China’s 100 GHz light-powered chip ditches electricity, shatters speed record in computing
These processors could help switch from 5G to 6G mobile networks without upgrading phone hardware.Updated: Mar 07, 2025 09:10 AM EST
Photo of the Author Ameya Paleja
Ameya Paleja7 hours ago
0
China’s 100 GHz light-powered chip ditches electricity, shatters speed record in computing
Representative image for the all-photonic processor.An international team of scientists led by researchers at the Peking University in China has designed a revolutionary ‘all-optical’ chip that uses light to synchronize the speed of processors and can potentially reach 100 GHz clock speeds, media reports said. In comparison, conventional chips that use electricity have clock speeds of 2-3 GHz and have reached a peak at 6 GHz.
The central processing unit (CPU) is at the core of myriad computing devices that we see around us every day. From the smartphone, you might be reading this on to artificial intelligence (AI) – powered chatbots; everything needs a processor that runs various functions in parallel to make the device work.
The processor uses an internal clock signal to synchronize its internal functions, which also determines how quickly the processor works. This is typically measured in gigahertz (GHz), each giga representing a billion clock cycles per second. The higher the GHz of the processor, the greater its computing capabilities and scientists have now managed to clock 100 GHz on this all-optic processor.
How does it work?
According to Chang Lin, an assistant professor at the Institute of Information and Communication Technology at Peking University, conventional chips use electronic oscillators to generate clock signals.Limitations of this approach include too much power consumption, generation of excess heat, and inability to increase clock speeds significantly. So, researchers turned to light as a medium to transmit and process information.
Since light travels much faster than electricity, photons that generate these clock signals can process information faster. By building a ring that looks like a racecourse on the chip, the researchers ran light and used the time of each lap as a standard.
Edit: I would like to point out that photons travel more slowly in matter than they do in open space. It would be helpful if NewMars members can find and post links to articles about the details of the comparison. The author is a Molecular Biologist, so there may be aspects of the physics he did not pick up. Plus, he was writing for a general audience using English, working from Mandarin source documents.
Since photons travel at the speed of light, each lap takes only a few billionths of a second, and the clock can run at ultra-high speed.
Conceptual illustration of a microcomb-synchronized optoelectronic system.
Conceptual illustration of a microcomb-synchronized optoelectronic system. Image credit: Nature
Where can this tech be used?
Since conventional chips operate at a single clock speed, applications that cannot be synced at these speeds require different chip configurations, increasing the cost of manufacturing and computing.The researchers developed an “on-chip microcomb” that can synthesize both single frequency and wideband signals, with the latter providing reference clocks for different electronic components in the system.
On an 8-inch (20 cm) wafer, the researchers claim that they can make thousands of such chips, which can be used to deploy consumer-friendly solutions right away.
For instance, the chip can be used to power mobile phone communication in both 5G and 6G network bands. More importantly, though, an upgrade in network speeds will not require an update in mobile phone hardware if the all-optic chip is used to power it. Similarly, using these chips in base stations would reduce equipment costs and energy usage.
The higher clock speeds achieved with this chip would also mean faster computations that will power the development of artificial intelligence in a more energy-conservative manner. Application of the technology in autonomous driving could increase accuracy and response speed, the South China Morning Post said in its report.
(th)
Offline
Like button can go here
This post is reserved for an index to posts that may be contributed by NewMars members over time.
Index:
(th)
Offline
Like button can go here