Intel Israel heralds chip breakthrough
A team of Israeli researchers at Intel has achieved a breakthrough in chip development that promises to change the world of computing and telecommunications within 5 to 10 years.
For the first time, the team succeeded in developing electro-optical chipsets based on silicon wafers capable of converting electronic signals to optic signals within the chip. They have the potential to be mass produced at the same cost as standard electronic chips. Currently, the manufacturing cost of an optical chip (which is not silicon based) runs into hundreds or even thousands of dollars.
According to Intel's assessment, the electro-optic chips developed during the past year and a half at the company's Jerusalem facility will replace the standard electronic chips used for communications between computer components, allowing this communication to be conducted at the speed of light - 10 times the current speed.
Article source: Haaretz
