Silicon photonics' last-meter problem: Economics and physics still pose challenges to "fiber to the processor" tech

A. F. J. Levi

doi:10.1109/mspec.2018.8449048

August 29, 2018IEEE Spectrum

Silicon photonics' last-meter problem: Economics and physics still pose challenges to "fiber to the processor" tech

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Key Points

Examine the physical, technical, and economic barriers preventing the integration of optical fiber connections directly onto silicon computer chips.
Evaluated historical scaling trends in silicon microprocessors alongside high-speed fiber-optic communication systems.
Assessed physical packaging limits and production economics associated with short-reach optical interconnects.
Physical assembly constraints and microscopic alignment challenges continue to hinder the direct coupling of optical fibers to nanoscale processor architectures.
High fabrication costs and packaging complexity currently prevent short-reach optical links from economically displacing standard copper interconnects.

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Implication

Technology review demonstrates persistent physical and economic challenges in processor-level optical interconnects, highlighting fundamental roadblocks to high-performance computing.

Abstract

If you think we're on the cusp of a technological revolution today, imagine what it felt like in the mid-1980s. Silicon chips used transistors with micrometer-size features. Fiber-optic systems were zipping trillions of bits per second around the world.

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A. F. J. Levi (2018) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a9d4abdcd6834dc9b8b04b0 https://doi.org/10.1109/mspec.2018.8449048

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Silicon photonics' last-meter problem: Economics and physics still pose challenges to "fiber to the processor" tech

Key Points

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Abstract

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Cite This Study

Silicon photonics' last-meter problem: Economics and physics still pose challenges to "fiber to the processor" tech

Key Points

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Implication

Abstract

Discussion

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