Ever since photographers needed way to quantify amount of light present in situation, large bubbled light meters are symbol of professionalism & all use germanium arsinide to measure light levels.
I'm sure something is new, maybe publics need for 200 gb/s data thruput, yet its more market than technology thats allowed or forced such high speed instruments.
Signed:PHYSICIAN THOMAS STEWART von DRASHEK M.D.
Intel claims quantum leap in fiber-optic detectors
Summary
The chipmaker has developed silicon-based photoelectric detectors that could cut the cost of fiber-optic communications to a fraction of their current value.
Topics
Intel has developed silicon-based photoelectric detectors that could cut the cost of fiber-optic communications to a fraction of their current value.
Photodetectors — used in a range of applications, such as fiber-optic communications, image sensors, datacenter interconnects and optical drives — have been significantly more expensive than a copper-based equivalent.
According to Mario Paniccia, Intel fellow and director of Intel's photonics lab, this is due to the high cost of rare transition metals used in the optical devices.
"[Photonics] is today a technology predominately made with what we call exotic materials — indium phosphide, gallium arsenide, lithium molybdate — which involves expensive processing, very low volumes and, more importantly, very complex packaging and hand assembly," Paniccia said.
However, Intel claims to have found a way to create photodetectors using cheap silicon doped with a small layer of the element germanium, drastically reducing cost.
"Just to put it into context, a commercial [photodetector] that is used in telecoms typically sells for $200 to $300," Paniccia said. "We're talking devices that are probably an order or two in magnitude lower in cost." This prediction makes Intel's devices between 10 and 100 times cheaper than current photodetectors.
This lower cost opens up many applications, including making fiber to the home a great deal more accessible for consumers. The chief operating officer of Australian telecoms firm Tesltra, Greg Winn, recently explained this to ZDNet sister site ZDNet.com.au.
"If you run fiber, you need a device that breaks it down to the inside wiring, to the copper, and those devices are maybe a few hundred dollars," Winn said. "We do that today, but it's not economic to do it unless you're guaranteed the uptake of the services that the fiber requires."
In addition to lowering cost, Intel's new photodetectors have the advantage of being more sensitive, which may further reduce the price of fiber-optic communications. Paniccia said that, due to the increased sensitivity of the devices, they can transmit over a longer distance, or over the same distance with lower-power lasers.
The photodetectors, which are between 30 and 50 microns in size, work by multiplying the optical signals they receive. Photodetectors work by capturing a photon (a quantized particle of light) that comes in and is absorbed by a material, which then converts a photon into electrical energy (an electron).
In Paniccia's avalanche photodetector, the electrical energy produced is amplified by a "multiplication layer", which uses ionization to turn one photon into as many as 100 electrons. Those electrons then get separated by applying a voltage, which produces a current, similar to a solar cell.
Paniccia's team is currently able to demonstrate devices with speeds of up to 40Gbps, with as much as three times more performance (gain) than today's best detectors. However, the team has also been able to demonstrate devices with up to 200Gbps throughput.
"Now we have actually shown a device that far out performs anything in indium phosphide," he said. The device can be optimized for speed (Gbps), or efficiency over distance (meters per watt).
The work of Paniccia and his colleagues has been published in the journal Nature Photonics, and was conducted in conjunction with Darpa, Numonyx, the University of Virginia, and the University of California.
Talkback Most Recent of 9 Talkback(s)
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VONDRASHEK@...8th Dec 2008 -
Germanium is old indeed, so what?
the fact that the germanium is old and already has applications in electronic and even in light detection does not imply that Intel is just recycling old technology.
Agnostique8th Dec 2008 -
RE: Intel claims quantum leap in fiber-optic detectors
New application to old tech. And power to them. Though I would have preferred some other corporation had made the development - AMD perhap - so that Intel quits dominating markets and we have some price competition - but that's a topic for another board. Point is, the increased throughput aside, costs are costs are costs. If this is cheaper, then it is already the standard. Period.
Take fiber optic internet - Verizon FIOS in my area. HAs been around for years. I'm not seeing it my neighborhood. Why? Costs too much to lay the lines and give new customers converter boxes. Result? Philadelphia has been stuck with Comcast cable with no real alternatives. Paying $50 a month and for what? A subpar service that goes out with no apparent reason for anywhere from 5 minutes to several days. There's one perfect application of this tech that will now allow for faster fiber-optic infrastructure development in major population centers.
Anyway, huzzah Intel. Thank you and give it to us sooner then later. We're hurting for something to replace 20 year old cable technology.
On a side note, this brings us one step closer to true quantum computing! AI is that much closer to reality.
"The views expressed here are mine and do not reflect the official opinion of my employer or the organization through which the Internet was accessed."
gnesterenko8th Dec 2008 -
AMD - Intel Who cares?
As long as someone is doing it. As to AMD, I see no one stopping them...
No_Ax_to_Grind8th Dec 2008 -
My wallet
In practice, I don't care who brings me new tech so long as it works. However, in practice, I also like paying less for new tech. Intel has been dominating the CPU market, are now wiping the floor in the SSD market (though the new Samsung drivers claim to be faster, no benchmarks or price yet so their promises are moot). SO its no surprise that the high end intel CPUs vendor for >$1000 and the SSDs for >$600 for 80GBs.
They say this new tech is orders of magnitude cheaper and thats great. But, if this tech delivers on its promise consistnantly, Intel will dominate this new market as well. Noone will stop AMD from coming up with their own version, you are correct in that respect. But by that time, Intel will permeate the market with eye gouging profit margins on their tech. In comes competition 6 months down the road, they have to compete on price at that point.
This is the reality of the tech world and I recognize that. As I said before, more power to Intel for coming up with this. Personally though, I just wish this tech came from elsewhere first. Intel is a great company, but they need someone to keep their prices in check.
"The views expressed here are mine and do not reflect the official opinion of my employer or the organization through which the Internet was accessed."gnesterenko8th Dec 2008 -
Has nada to do with CPUs or the end user.
The end user is not going to buy this tech, it will be used by OEMs in othr products.
FYI: If you look at AMDs latest CPU offerings, the price is just about the same as Intel and Intel is faster. (Compare Quad Core.)No_Ax_to_Grind8th Dec 2008 -
What?
I'm not sure where you learned economics, but you eliminate competition by undercutting their prices or by offering a superior or unique product. If Intel charges insane prices for this, AMD or whoever can come along and offer a fair price. Why would they be forced to charge what Intel charges? The contrary would be true. Everyone would buy the cheaper version and force Intel to charge less.
And I suppose it would be good to mention here that when you buy from Intel you aren't paying for the cost of manufacturing the product. Its for all the research they did to invent it. AMD does not spend much on research like Intel and that is why they don't do as well but can charge less.
bigstick8th Dec 2008 -
Investment opportunity?
This impacts Fiber-to-the-Home? Who else is involved there...hmmm...Corning (GLW) recently introduced a new fiber product that is more "bendable", allowing far easier installation, and making it viable for situations like large apartment buildings...formerly too expensive and technically difficult to wire up with fiber.
Disclosure: long INTC & GLW.
techboy_z8th Dec 2008 -
Is there a white paper on this somewhere?
Is there a white paper on this somewhere?
This is a very interesting development as Silicon is a "indirect bandgap" semiconductor, making it very poor for things like photo detectors/LEDs ETC. The "avalanche detector" description doesn't add much as that is old tech(or at least old enough to make it into my semiconductor physics textbook).
gtg781w9th Dec 2008
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