Intel Corporation’s Integrated Photonics Solutions (IPS) Group has made a significant breakthrough in integrated photonics technology by introducing the industry’s first fully integrated optical computing interconnect (OCI) chiplet. This revolutionary chiplet, showcased at the 2024 Optical Fiber Communications Conference, is designed to enhance high-speed data transmission in AI infrastructure for data centers and high-performance computing applications.
The OCI chiplet enables co-packaged optical input/output (I/O) alongside an Intel CPU, offering increased bandwidth, reduced power consumption, and extended reach. This advancement is crucial for accelerating machine learning workload and revolutionizing high-performance AI infrastructure. As the demand for AI-based applications continues to grow, the need for efficient data processing solutions becomes imperative.
The OCI chiplet supports 64 channels of 32 gigabits per second (Gbps) data transmission in each direction, catering to the escalating bandwidth requirements of AI infrastructure. By incorporating optical I/O on CPUs and GPUs, the chiplet enhances data transfer efficiency, power consumption, and reach, addressing the limitations of traditional electrical I/O solutions.
This innovative chiplet leverages Intel’s silicon photonics technology, integrating on-chip lasers and optical amplifiers with an electrical IC. The demonstration at OFC showcased bidirectional data transfer up to 4 terabits per second (Tbps) and supported Gen5 PCIe. The chiplet’s energy-efficient design allows for seamless integration with next-generation CPUs, GPUs, IPUs, and SoCs, paving the way for scalable computing architectures.
Intel’s leadership in silicon photonics technology, with more than 25 years of research and development, has positioned the company as a market leader in delivering reliable and high-performance connectivity products to major cloud service providers. The company’s unique approach to integration and scalability has enabled the deployment of PICs in large data center networks, supporting applications up to 400 Gbps and beyond.
Moving forward, Intel is collaborating with select customers to integrate OCI chiplet with their SOCs, further advancing optical I/O solutions for AI infrastructure. As the AI landscape continues to evolve, Intel’s commitment to driving innovation and shaping the future of connectivity remains unwavering.
In conclusion, Intel’s OCI chiplet represents a groundbreaking achievement in high-speed data transmission, offering a glimpse into the future of AI infrastructure. With a focus on efficiency, scalability, and performance, Intel continues to push the boundaries of technology to meet the evolving demands of the AI industry.
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https://www.intc.com/news-events/press-releases/detail/1699/intel-demonstrates-first-fully-integrated-optical-io