Hair-thin chip transfers 100 million books in 7 minutes with just a spark of power

Scientists at Canada’s Université Laval have developed a groundbreaking optical chip that can transmit data at an unprecedented speed of 1,000 gigabits per second (Gbps) while consuming minimal energy—just four joules, comparable to heating one milliliter of water by one degree Celsius. This hair-thin chip uses pairs of microring modulators made from silicon to manipulate both the intensity and phase of light, enabling a dual-channel approach that vastly increases bandwidth within a compact size. This technology represents a significant leap from current systems, which typically max out at around 56 Gbps, allowing the transfer of data equivalent to 100 million books in under seven minutes. The innovation addresses the growing energy demands of AI data centers, where thousands of processors must communicate over long distances, resulting in extensive infrastructure and high power consumption. By enabling faster and more efficient communication as if processors were only meters apart, the chip could dramatically reduce energy use and physical footprint in AI systems. While still in the laboratory