Optical RAM on chip, set to reduce telecoms power

LONDON — Researchers from IMEC (Leuven, Belgium) and the department of information technology at Ghent University (INTEC) have published a paper on an optical random access memory integrated on a silicon chip with record low power consumption.

The result paves the way for optical packet switching that does not need to converted from optical to electrical for storage and therefore should allow reduced overall power consumption in optical telecommunication systems, according to IMEC.

The optical random access memory is made from disc-shaped indium phosphide lasers of 7.5-micron diameter. The laser light can propagate in either the clockwise or counter clockwise direction and one can switch between these two laser modes using short optical pulses.

The indium phosphide membranes, are integrated onto passive silicon waveguide circuits, which allows different memory cells to be optically connected using silicon wires. It also allows the use of silicon-based microelectronics fabrication technology, making it a cost-effective solution. The results were published in Nature Photonics. Related links and articles:

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