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Production of Photon Processors Expected in 2006

Posted by timothy on from the enlightening dept.

ThinSkin writes "Photon processors that transmit data via light, not electrons, are slated to enter production in mid-2006, ExtremeTech reports. Headed by a UCLA professor and a Nobel Prize winner, startup Luxtera claims that its optical modulator clocks in at 10-GHz, tens times that of Intel's optical modulator researchers talked about last year. Since the optical module exists as its own entity, it will require a standard CMOS processes to integrate the optical waveguides. Luxtera has worked closely with Freescale Semiconductor to develop this technology."

20 of 217 comments (clear)

  1. Error In The Article by the_mad_poster · · Score: 4, Funny

    Electrons ARE light particles.

    --
    Alito: A vote for Alito is a punch in the eye to put that bitch back in her place!
    1. Re:Error In The Article by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      The only thing I know about duality is that I'll be seeing this article again tomorrow.

    2. Re:Error In The Article by TummyX · · Score: 4, Funny

      Yes, but they are light. Certainly lighter than protons which are themselves light.

    3. Re:Error In The Article by XeroPurpose · · Score: 1, Funny

      Magic. Got it.

    4. Re:Error In The Article by Mr.+Underbridge · · Score: 1, Funny
      Actually, you're wrong--electrons are particles of mass. They travel in waves, just like electromagnetic radiation (that is, light), and have a distinct De Broglie wavelength, but they are not, themselves, electromagnetic radiation.

      Damn, I bet you're fun at parties.

  2. How long until... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny
    people start talking about the GHz Myth?

    My photons are faster than yours!

    1. Re:How long until... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      Exactly. The first people to adopt new technologies always work in the "movie" business. By "movie" I mean "porn." Alright, so get to work and make it so I can render in real-time a sex scene between Jenna and myself!

    2. Re:How long until... by PapayaSF · · Score: 2, Funny

      What, do you think it takes over 7 GHz to load a page on a website?

      Safe prediction: by the time we're using photon processors, yes, it will take 7 gHz to load a website....

      --
      Q: What does the "B." in Benoit B. Mandelbrot stand for? A: Benoit B. Mandelbrot
  3. Whose bright idea was it... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    to use light for your processor.

    Imagine Intel chips with this technology. Now instead of heating your whole room - you have an extremely bright night light. "Sleep" or "hibernate" will have a new meaning when you use it to turn off the main light in your room.

    1. Re:Whose bright idea was it... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      Soooo... now all we need are chips using different wavelengths and then we could reintroduce the Spectrum. Maybe the Color Computer?

  4. Bah by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    They'll just release the exact same chip as this guy in a year, only call it "Pentium 4 with photon extensions" and pretend they invented it.

  5. So it was real....... by pablo_max · · Score: 1, Funny

    I cant believe it!! That viewsonic computer runing at 10Ghz on amazon.com was real. I'm sure kicking myself for not buying it.

  6. Perfect! by RobertKozak · · Score: 5, Funny


    Now when I find a bug in my code I can just reconfigure the photonic matrix and reverse the polarity of the power coupling.

    And if that doesn't work I'll try modulating the field harmonics.

    This can really save me in a tight situation.

    Robert

    --
    Bet this .sig looks familiar.
  7. Re:Not a "Processor" [winhat] by winhat2 · · Score: 2, Funny

    It is a light, portable screen usually circular and supported on a short-term scale, but ultimately, they're just masking the real problem, which can only be solved by the level of thinking that created them.

    The average girl would rather have beauty than brains because she knows that the nature in which ramanujan was referred to as "indian math guy" in the sense of optical logic.

  8. Optical Modulator? by Esion+Modnar · · Score: 2, Funny

    Where's the kaboom? There was supposed to be an earth-shattering kaboom! --Marvin the Martian

    --

    They say the first thing to go is your penis. Well, it's either that or your brain. I forget which...
  9. Re:Seeing is believing by NanoGator · · Score: 2, Funny

    "I'll believe it when I see it in action."

    Yeah because companies are always promising more processing power, but they never deliver!!

    --
    "Derp de derp."
  10. "More light!" by lartful_dodger · · Score: 2, Funny

    what are they going to call this baby? Goethe?

    --
    The face of 'evil' is always the face of total need
    1. Re:"More light!" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      I'm sorry. Your comment appears to contravene the level of normal /. posts by assuming some knowledge outside of leet-speak and Linux vs Microsoft flames.

      Please dumb it down and try again.

  11. I can hear it now ... by KSobby · · Score: 2, Funny

    The tech support calls for this will trump all: Tech Answer 1: Data loss? Ma'am, it says clearly in the instructions that this device is not to be used near any singularity of any kind. It's been known to warp and bend results. Tech Anser 2: Sir, the machine is acting slowly? Are you by chance going 299,792,458 m/s? That drops performance to 286 levels. What's that? you're running BSD? So why are you complaining? Plenty of horsepower for that.

    --
    "It's difficult to meditate on amphetamines." - Joe Walsh
  12. Re:thanks God by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    I wonder how to overclock one of these processor

    Just increase the speed of light.