Russian and Chinese scientists develop ultrafast laser for AI chips

Scientists from HSE University in St. Petersburg and the Shandong Academy of Sciences in China have developed an ultrafast laser for use in photonic chips designed for artificial intelligence applications. This research team has achieved a response speed of 4.15 gigahertz, marking a significant technological advancement in the field of photonic circuits. The laser was designed to use light to transmit and process signals, an alternative to traditional electrical signals.

For the first time, the researchers directly measured the maximum response speed of this type of micro-laser, thus establishing a benchmark for evaluating their performance. They adopted a standardized method to measure the laser’s performance, ensuring highly accurate determination of its response speed. Under tests, the laser's highest recorded speed reached 4.15 gigahertz.

These findings could potentially revolutionize data centers and neural networks by enabling the design of faster photonic chips. The integration of multiple computing systems on a single chip and accelerated data transfer between components could be made possible. As the demand for greater computing power and higher data transfer speeds continues to surge with the expanding artificial intelligence systems, integrated photonic circuits have emerged as one of the most promising solutions to meet these technical requirements.