No. 169: Technology to open the way to the ultrahigh-speed PC (September 20, 2010)

Hitachi developed the technology to produce laser parts vital to the optical circuit of the ultrahigh-speed PC at a lower cost. With the help of nanotechnology, it successfully amplified luminescence and light using the hard-to-flash silicon material that is used in semiconductors. The company set a silicone wafer as thin as about one nanometer at intervals of 30 nanometers and located an element that emits light because light is amplified inside it. Because the existing semiconductor technology is used, the production cost will be less than one tenth of the case that uses a difference material. Chemical semiconductors like gallium nitride can be used for the semiconductor-based laser, but they require great care and take much time for production. Silicone allows for a lower production cost because it can be produced together with the existing semiconductors. Before long, the company is expected to develop a laser connecting lights between 100 circuits on a one-centimeter-square LSI. Related web page: http://www.hitachi.com/