Article Abstracts | June 2006
The complete article appears in the June 2006 issue of Photonics Spectra. If you do not have a copy of this issue,
e-mail us a request. Be sure to include your street address or fax number.
Photonics Set to Rescue Microprocessor Clocking
A brick wall looms for electronic clocking, but photonic techniques offer a path to higher speeds.
by James P. Siepmann, LightTime LLC
In the fast-paced and ever-changing microprocessor world, there is one undeniable truth: Photonic clocking will happen. It is just a question of when.
The International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors, which has been accurate in laying out future microprocessor technologies, makes it clear that the electrical clocking technology will meet its demise somewhere between 2008 and 2012, which correlates to clock speeds of about 8 to 10 GHz.1 (The public is particularly familiar with the core clock speed rating of microprocessors, so it is used in this article rather than the local clock speed employed in the Roadmap, which typically is twice the core speed.) ...
Start a discussion on this article or any photonics topic in the Photonics.com Community Forum