Next generation computer chips could process data at the speed of light – new research

Business To Business, London, 10 Apr. 25: Electronic microchips are foundational to modern technology, integral to devices like laptops, smartphones, cars, and home appliances. For many years, advancements in chip manufacturing have led to increased performance and efficiency, enhancing the capabilities of our electronic devices. However, this trend is beginning to stall due to rising manufacturing costs, the complexity of production processes, and inherent physical limitations on performance imposed by the laws of physics. This stagnation comes at a critical time when the demand for computing power is surging, driven largely by the rapid growth in artificial intelligence (AI) applications.
As a potential solution, photonic chips, which utilize light instead of electricity, have emerged as a promising alternative to traditional electronic microchips. Photonic chips have the potential to achieve superior performance; however, their widespread adoption has been hampered by various challenges, including manufacturing difficulties, integration processes, and material limitations.
Recently, two significant papers published in the journal Nature have made progress in addressing some of these challenges. These studies provide critical insights and advancements that could pave the way for the development and eventual adoption of photonic chips. By overcoming the roadblocks currently faced by this technology, researchers are taking essential steps toward achieving the higher computing power needed to support increasingly complex artificial intelligence systems and applications. This shift could revolutionize how we approach computing in the future, making it more efficient and capable of meeting the demands of a rapidly evolving technological landscape.