X

What's inside Intel's photonics lab (photos)

Inside Intel's Photonics Lab in Santa Clara, Calif., researchers are seeking ways to enhance data transfer using silicon germanium optical transfer.

CNET Reviews staff
intel-photonics-lab-2.jpg
1 of 7 James Martin/CNET

Photonics research

At the Intel Photonics Lab in Santa Clara, Calif., researchers are pioneering new ways to transfer data at super fast rates using silicon germanium photodetectors.

Inside the labs, Intel is working to enhance the reliability of optical data transfer and seeking a diverse set of applications including supercomputing, data center communications, consumer electronics, automotive sensors, and medical diagnostics.

Mario Paniccia, director of the Photonics Technology Lab at Intel, took us inside the lab to look at some of the projects being pushed to market.

intel-photonics-lab-3.jpg
2 of 7 James Martin/CNET

Optical USB

As Intel researches ways to develop integrated, high-volume silicon photonic chips, they are also looking for ways to deploy those new technologies into the marketplace, using photonics links for their systems and networks. Benefits can include extreme high-speed data transmission, like these optical USB ports, and may even have applications beyond digital communications, like expanding wireless networks by transporting analog RF signals and enabling lower-cost lasers for biomedical applications.
intel-photonics-lab-4.jpg
3 of 7 James Martin/CNET

200 GB/s

In their work toward an integrated terabit optical chip, researchers at the photonics lab have created this chip capable of transmitting 200 gigabyte per second on eight channels of 25 GB/s each.
intel-photonics-lab-5.jpg
4 of 7 James Martin/CNET

Silicon in photonics

Silicon has traditionally been used for electronics, providing more for less money, but Intel's researchers are exploring ways to do the same for photonics, using silicon technology to build optical devices that route, detect, and encode data.
intel-photonics-lab-6.jpg
5 of 7 James Martin/CNET

Photodetectors

Using silicon germanium photodetectors, Intel is taking optical data and converting the optical photons back into electrons, transmitting and receiving optical data in silicon, encoding data through the modulation of light.
intel-photonics-lab-7.jpg
6 of 7 James Martin/CNET

Researcher Juthika Basak

Researcher Juthika Basak at work inside one of the photonics labs at Intel in Santa Clara, Calif.
intel-photonics-lab.jpg
7 of 7 James Martin/CNET

Germanium silicon

Intel believes using germanium is important because, unlike silicon, it can efficiently detect light in the near infrared, which is the standard for communications. One of its drawbacks, however, is that so much stress is developed in pure germanium films deposited on silicon that defects are more likely within a germanium/silicon interface. At Intel's photonics labs, researchers are looking at different designs and processes that will minimize the impact of these defects on the electrical performance of the devices.

More Galleries

My Favorite Shots From the Galaxy S24 Ultra's Camera
A houseplant

My Favorite Shots From the Galaxy S24 Ultra's Camera

20 Photos
Honor's Magic V2 Foldable Is Lighter Than Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra
magic-v2-2024-foldable-1383

Honor's Magic V2 Foldable Is Lighter Than Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra

10 Photos
The Samsung Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus Looks Sweet in Aluminum
Samsung Galaxy S24

The Samsung Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus Looks Sweet in Aluminum

23 Photos
Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra Now Has a Titanium Design
The Galaxy S24 Ultra in multiple colors

Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra Now Has a Titanium Design

23 Photos
I Took 600+ Photos With the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Look at My Favorites
img-0368.jpg

I Took 600+ Photos With the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Look at My Favorites

34 Photos
17 Hidden iOS 17 Features You Should Definitely Know About
Invitation for the Apple September iPhone 15 event

17 Hidden iOS 17 Features You Should Definitely Know About

18 Photos
AI or Not AI: Can You Spot the Real Photos?
img-1599-2.jpg

AI or Not AI: Can You Spot the Real Photos?

17 Photos