GoKawiilResearchers at Seoul National University and the University of Seoul have developed a programmable photonic integrated circuit that can slow light whenever needed.
The team was led by Professors Namkyoo Park and Sunkyu Yu of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Seoul National University, working with Professor Xianji Piao of the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Seoul.
Slowing Light Could Help Solve a Computing Bottleneck
The rapid growth of generative AI and large scale AI models has sharply increased the amount of computing power required by data centers and servers. Conventional electronic semiconductors are struggling to keep pace because they consume large amounts of energy and face limits in how quickly they can transmit data.
These challenges have intensified interest in optical computing, which uses light rather than electrical signals to process information. Optical systems could potentially move data at extremely high speeds while using less power.
However, light also presents a major challenge. Because it naturally moves at a fixed speed, it is difficult to delay optical signals or temporarily hold them in place. Those capabilities are essential for creating buffers and memory functions in optical computers.
To address this problem, the researchers designed a programmable photonic circuit that can control both the speed and shape of optical signals. Their approach provides more flexibility over "slow light" than previously proposed methods.
The study was published in the renowned international journal Advanced Science.
Why Optical Signals Sometimes Need To Wait
Photonic integrated circuits are emerging as a promising technology for processing information quickly and efficiently with light. In data centers, optical communication networks, and future computing systems, moving signals rapidly is only part of the challenge.
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