On Dec. 9, IBM unveiled a breakthrough in co-packaging optics that would cut back GPU downtime and speed up AI coaching.
IBM’s working prototype considerably will increase the variety of optical fibers connecting on the fringe of a silicon photonics chip by changing conventional glass with a polymer optical waveguide. This revolutionary strategy may pave the way in which for quicker, extra environment friendly information switch and permit information facilities to deal with higher workloads.
The concept of co-packaged optics has been round for a very long time, however IBM’s course of allows what the corporate calls the world’s first stress-tested prototype.
IBM spokespeople didn’t immediately tackle questions on availability or a timeline. As a substitute, they emphasised their intent to develop a roadmap and expressed their openness to sharing design materials with foundries sooner or later.
“At the end, the chip product companies will have to ask for that, and then the product companies will design that into their chip design, and the foundries can manufacture,” Makesh Khare, common supervisor of IBM semiconductors, stated at a briefing. “But it has no special requirement regarding the foundry aspect. It will have a design aspect we can provide to the chip companies.”
What makes a polymer optical waveguide stand out?
Co-packaged optics with polymer optical waveguides are a substitute for copper connections and are sometimes used to hyperlink GPU accelerators in information facilities. These sit on the fringe of a chip and let many high-density bundles of optical fibers squeeze right into a tiny area, with half a micron or much less between the fiber and the connector. IBM stated this brings a dramatic bandwidth enhance between chips in comparison with electrical connections.
The scale — a 50-micron pitch — additionally differentiates the prototype. 250-micron pitch is an ordinary measurement. Going smaller interprets to elevated bandwidth.
The polymer optical waveguide stacks in as much as 4 layers for as much as 128 channels. On the “beachfront” the place the connector meets the chip, it presents 51 fibers per millimeter.
“The big deal is not only that we’ve got this big density enhancement for communications on module, but we’ve also demonstrated that this is compatible with stress tests that optical links haven’t been passing in the past,” John Knickerbocker, distinguished engineer at IBM analysis, stated in a press launch.
“This co-packaged optics innovation is basically bringing the power of fiber optics on the chip itself,” Khare added.
IBM’s polymer optical waveguide could compete with novel connectivity processes just like the Ranovus Odin digital and photonic built-in circuit or linear-drive pluggable optics. Researchers are additionally experimenting with glass ribbons or vertical-graded interconnections on this space.
Knickerbocker stated within the briefing: “It’s onerous to say who’s up in entrance“ between polymer optical waveguides and linear-drive pluggable optics.
IBM has manufactured co-packaged optics with polymer optical waveguides at its Bromont testing facility in Quebec.
SEE: Information facilities will want extra energy for AI coaching as hyperscalers supply extra superior fashions.
The proposed market: Information facilities used to coach AI
IBM proposes the brand new connector may gain advantage the booming generative AI business by:
- Energy draw discount (of as much as 5 occasions) mid-range electrical interconnects, together with at lengthy ranges (a whole bunch of meters).
- Discount within the time it takes to coach a big language mannequin, from three months to a few weeks.
- Elevated power effectivity.
“With this breakthrough, tomorrow’s chips will communicate much like how fiber optics cables carry data in and out of data centers, ushering in a new era of faster, more sustainable communications that can handle the AI workloads of the future,” SVP and Director of Analysis Dario Gil stated in a press launch.
