Laser Replaces Electrical Data Connection Nanolaser Aims to Reduce Computers' Energy Consumption

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Researchers from Denmark have developed an exceptionally small laser that could serve as a light source for optical data links in computers in the future. According to the researchers, this could significantly reduce the energy required for data transmission.

The energy requirements of modern computers and data centers are increasing not only due to the actual computing power. Energy is also consumed by the transfer of large amounts of data between processors, memory, and computing units. Optical interconnects are a possible alternative to conventional electrical connections. Instead of electrical signals, light is used for data transmission.

A team at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) has developed a particularly small nanolaser for this purpose. The researchers concentrate the light and the excited charge carriers within a tiny structure. This should allow the laser to operate with lower excitation power. The developed demonstrator operates at room temperature and generates laser light with a wavelength of approximately 1,535 nm (0.0000604 inches). What makes this laser unique is that light and excited charge carriers are confined within an extremely small dielectric structure. “When it comes to computers, Jesper Mørk estimates that nanolasers could cut energy consumption in half,” the DTU writes in its press release. Mørk is a professor at the Technical University of Denmark and is involved in the research described.

However, his statement refers to a possible future system architecture and not to a proven savings in a complete computer. The nanolasers could partially replace electrical data connections within a chip or between different chip components. Light can be transmitted via suitable waveguides with lower transmission losses than electrical signals. Whether this actually results in a 50 percent reduction, however, also depends on the drivers, modulators, waveguides, and receivers.

The Electrical Control system is still Undecided

The demonstrator currently under development still requires an external light source for excitation. However, for use in processors or photonic computing chips, the nanolaser would need to be electrically powered. “If the nanolaser can be electrically powered in the future—which will be the next major challenge in research—it could revolutionize a wide range of technologies,” according to the DTU press release.

In addition to the electrical control system, the researchers must determine how to reliably and reproducibly manufacture large numbers of identical nanolasers and couple them to optical waveguides. The thermal stability and total energy requirements of the electro-optical data link are also critical for a practical assessment. DTU anticipates that the remaining technical challenges could be resolved within five to ten years. Until then, the nanolaser will remain a research demonstrator. However, the results point to a potential path toward realizing compact light sources for optical data transmission on and between chips.