IBM Breakthrough in Photonic Chip; Slows Light 300 Times

IBM claims a major breakthrough in the quest developing photon based computers instead of todays electron based silicon chips. In its Silicon Wave Guide chip it claims to have managed to slow down light to 1/300 of its normal speed of 186, 000 miles per second.

The light can be further slowed by applying an electric field to the waveguide.

IBM claims that its light-slowing device is the first to be fashioned out of fairly standard materials, potentially paving the way toward rapid commercial adoption.

A number of companies and university researchers are currently tinkering with ways to replace the electronic components inside computers, which ferry signals with electrons, with optical technology. Optical equipment ferries data on photons, the smallest measure of light. Photons are far faster. Optical equipment generates less heat which also leads to lower power consumption and ability to pack them tighter.

As early as 2007 we may start to see optical computers commercially.

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