A SILICONE-based material that transmits light instead of electrical signals inside supercomputers and data centers, and thereby improves the robustness and flexibility of Big Data applications has been developed by Dow Corning and IBM.
The new material is expected to simplify the development of future exascale computers that can perform a billion computations per second; and consuming less energy as it transfers data from the computer’s processor to the PCB.
According to Bert Jan Offrein, manager of the Photonics Research Group at IBM Research, “Polymer waveguides provide an integrated means to route optical signals similar to how copper lines route electrical signals.” He said that the design made is highly flexible, high-temperature resistant and with strong adhesion.
Dow Corning said that photopatternable optical silicone materials can be fabricated into flexible polymer waveguides using conventional film processing and photolithography techniques. “The optical characterisation has shown losses as low as 0.03dB/cm, with environmental stability extending past 2000 hours 85%RH/85 degrees C as well as 500 thermal cycles between minus 40 degree Celsius to 120 degree C.
The developers assure that the material is compatible with the current conventional manufacturing techniques.
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