Advanced Optical Communication Components By Intel

The highly advanced optical communication made of silicon, by Intel, is set to change our perception related to the ways we used to see the process of computer data transfer. It is being termed as one of the wonderful innovations in the field of computer data transfer,

The company describes this products as an effort to bring in a drastic reduction in the cost while transmitting computer data. Not only cost cut, but it will accelerate the rate of data transfer to a speed not experienced so far.

The researchers, at Intel, combined germanium with silicon, the cheapest material used to make computer chips, only to come up with a product named as “avalanche photo detector.” When tested, its data transfer performance was no less than a “world record.”

The innovation, a by-product of silicon, may soon bring an end to the use of highly expensive materials like indium phosphide while making optical communication equipments. Because, according to the experts it performed miles ahead of its contemporary reigning counterparts.

Though this innovation is being challenged by many other brands, Intel, on its part, is busy presenting research papers, for the sake of its authenticity, and describing prototype optical components made from silicon.

Much to the amazement, Intel has derived a collaboration with Numonyx BV and STMicroelectronics NV. According to Intel, the leading researchers of the Universities of Virginia and California provided the much needed consultation and helped profoundly in testing.

The researchers, according to Mario Paniccia, the director, Intel's photonics-technology, used photo detectors to enhance the intensity of laser generated light pulses. During the process, the photo detector achieved a "gain-bandwidth product" of 340 gigahertz, a record so far.

The company is all set to exploit the performance of this photo detector. It hopes to improve the rate of data transfer and maximize the range a signal can travel upto. Thus we will see a fall in the energy consumed while transferring the information.