Intel Unveils World’s First Optical Interconnect, Utilizing The Power of Photonics

Intel has achieved a breakthrough in the photonics segment, unveiling the world's first fully integrated optical compute interconnect for emerging AI markets.

Intel's Newest Interconnect Solution Targets To Replace Traditional I/O Connections Through Newer Standards

When we talk about the world of interconnects and how vital they have been for the AI markets, the prospects of photonics are discussed plenty of times, and it looks like Team Blue has finally come up with a solution. Their newest press release reveals that Intel's Integrated Photonics Solutions (IPS) Group has developed the industry's first OCI interconnect chiplet, which is seen as a gigantic milestone for the markets, considering the performance improvements the technology will bring onboard.

Diving into the specifics, Intel says that their newest OCI chiplet offers significantly higher bandwidth data transfer through co-packaged optical input/output and supports up to 64 channels at 32 Gbps data transmission speeds. Some of the benefits of optical I/O interconnects include:

• Better Bandwidth
• Higher Energy Efficiency
• Lower Latency
• Longer Reach

The technology can also scale up distances, now supporting up to 100 meters of fiber optics. Compared to the traditional "Electrical I/O," Team Blue has increased distances by a whopping 100 times, a massive milestone for the AI markets. The firm says that going from electrical to optical is like switching from "horse carriages" to "motor vehicles," so you can imagine the extent of improvements we are discussing.

Regarding how Intel's newest OCI works, the firm employs a silicon photonics integrated circuit (PIC) that includes other elements for transmitting data through light. The first implementation reportedly supports 4 terabits per second (Tbps) bidirectional data transfer and comes with a co-packaged design, making it much more power-efficient and faster.

The sole aim of Intel here is to overcome the barriers present in traditional electrical I/O