IBM Optical Chip Zips Huge Files Using Little Power
Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2008 5:51 pm
The More You Know {TM}IBM has unveiled a new prototype chip that can transmit data at up to 8 TB/sec, or about 5,000 high-def video streams. While this might not be entirely amazing, the fact that they did it using the same amount of juice required to light a 100-watt lightbulb, is.
"The resulting total bi-directional data transfer rate is 300 Gb/s, nearly doubling the performance of a version IBM introduced last year. Compared to current commercial optical modules the transceiver provides 10-fold greater bandwidth in 1/10 the volume while consuming comparable power, IBM said."
I really hope the first optical home chip comes in my lifetime. What amazing things could be done with it.