Intel has successfully showcased an optical chiplet integrated with a CPU that can support 4 Tbps data links to cater to the escalating bandwidth needs of AI and high-performance computing applications in data centers. This optical computational interconnect (OCI) chiplet prototype is a significant advancement in high-bandwidth interconnect technology, building on Intel’s longstanding support for silicon photonics.
The demonstration took place at the Fiber Optic Communication Conference earlier this year, where a data connection between two systems was established using a single-mode fiber optic patch cable. Both systems were equipped with an OCI chiplet alongside an Intel CPU. This type of connection is crucial for scaling data center computing to meet the demands of AI acceleration workloads, driven by the exponential growth in IoT bandwidth.
While electric IoT can support high bandwidth and low power, its range is limited. Pluggable optical transceiver modules used in data center clusters offer increased range but are costly and power-intensive at scale. In contrast, a co-packaged solution like the OCI chiplet can deliver higher bandwidths with greater energy efficiency and lower latency due to its proximity to the CPU.
The OCI chiplet is designed to support 64 channels of 32 Gbps data in each direction over fiber links up to 100 meters, compatible with PCIe 5.0. Intel claims that the chiplet consumes 5 picojoules (pJ) of energy per bit, compared to the 15 pJ/bit consumed by pluggable optical transceiver modules. The company is collaborating with select customers to integrate OCI technology into its system-on-chips (SoC) as an optical I/O solution, although no timeline for production chip availability has been provided.
Industry experts, including IDC’s senior research director for EMEA Andrew Buss, view this development as a significant step forward in enabling high-speed, low-latency, and energy-efficient communications networks directly to CPU sockets in large systems. However, commercializing the technology for volume production will require advancements in the ecosystem of platform technologies.
Intel’s shift to a glass substrate, demonstrated at an event in 2023, may facilitate the integration of chiplets into a package, enhancing the benefits of transitioning from electrical to photonic I/O and communications. This move follows Intel’s decision to sell its silicon photonics transceiver module business to Jabil in a restructuring effort, focusing its silicon photonics efforts on emerging applications.
In conclusion, Intel’s breakthrough in optical chiplet technology represents a promising advancement in high-bandwidth interconnect solutions for data centers, with potential benefits for AI, HPC, and IoT applications. The company’s collaboration with customers to integrate OCI technology into SoCs signals a shift towards more energy-efficient and low-latency communications networks, although commercialization at scale may take time.
Article Source
https://www.theregister.com/AMP/2024/06/27/intel_says_its_optical_chiplet/