Intel has reached a groundbreaking milestone in the realm of integrated photonics, showcasing the first-ever fully integrated optical compute interconnect (OCI) chiplet co-packaged with an Intel CPU at the Optical Fiber Communication Conference (OFC) 2024. This OCI chiplet represents a significant advancement in high-speed data transmission, tailored for the demands of AI infrastructure in data centers and high-performance computing applications.
The OCI chiplet leverages Intel’s silicon photonics technology to enable co-packaged optical input/output (I/O), addressing the increasing need for higher bandwidth, lower power consumption, and extended reach in AI infrastructure. Designed to support 64 channels of 32 gigabits per second (Gbps) data transmission in each direction over distances up to 100 meters, this innovation allows for future scalability of CPU/GPU clusters and novel compute architectures, including coherent memory expansion and resource disaggregation.
As AI applications continue to expand globally, driven by advancements in large language models and generative AI, the demands on data centers grow exponentially. Traditional electrical I/O methods, limited to short distances and higher power consumption, are becoming inadequate. Intel’s OCI chiplet, however, offers a solution with improved power efficiency, lower latency, and longer reach, essential for the scaling requirements of modern AI/ML infrastructure.
The demonstration at OFC showcased a live optical link between two CPU platforms, highlighting the chiplet’s ability to transfer up to 4 terabits per second (Tbps) of bidirectional data. This performance, combined with remarkable energy efficiency, consuming only 5 pico-Joules per bit, underscores the chiplet’s potential to transform data center operations and high-performance computing environments.
Intel’s leadership in silicon photonics is further solidified by this achievement, building on over 25 years of internal research and development. The company’s unique integration techniques, such as hybrid laser-on-wafer technology, have set industry standards in reliability and cost-efficiency. With over 8 million photonic integrated circuits (PICs) shipped and ongoing advancements in laser and silicon optical amplifier performance, Intel continues to push the boundaries of what is possible in high-speed data transmission.
Currently a prototype, the OCI chiplet is being integrated with select customers’ systems-on-chips (SOCs) to explore its potential further. As AI infrastructure evolves, Intel remains at the forefront, driving innovation and shaping the future of connectivity through cutting-edge photonics solutions.