[BardiaPezeshki]

In datacenters people use optics for longer distances (10m to 2km). Within a rack it is almost always copper. The reason is that for short distances lasers are too expensive, unreliable, and consume too much power. We think microLED based links might replace copper at short distances (sub 10m). MicroLEDs into relatively thick fiber cores (50um) are much easier to package than standard single mode laser based optics.

on the distance - exactly right. The real bottleneck now in AI clusters is the interconnect within a rack or sub 10m. So that is the market we are addressing.

On your second point - exactly! Normally people think LEDs are slow and suck. That is the real innovation. At Avicena, we've figured out how to make LEDs blink on and off at 10Gb/s. This is really surprising and amazing! So with simple on-off modulation, there is no DSP or excess energy use. The article says TSMC is developing arrays of detectors, based on their camera process, that also receive signals at 10Gb/s. Turns out this is pretty easy for a camera with a small number of pixels (~1000). We use blue light, which is easily absorbed in silicon. BTW, feel free to reach out to Avicena, and happy to answer questions.

[mmmBacon]

It’s not correct to say that lasers are unreliable. Last year more than 20M transceivers shipped. Your statement is not at all supported by real field failure data.

The reliability of micro LEDs. and specifically GaN based micro LEDs is however an open question.

In the absence of any dislocation failure mechanisms it will depend on the current density and thermal dissipation. And just like any other material, it will have to survive in a non-hermetic environment and in the presence of corrosive gasses (an issue in data centers).

To get the 10G, it’s probably kind of like a VCSEL without the grating and so current density is probably high. How well you’re able to heat sink it is going to determine how reliable it will be.

Overall I like the idea. It looks like the beachfront could work. I’d spend more time talking about and how the electrical connection works and what kind of interface to a chip would be needed.

I’d also be careful before throwing shade on laser reliability because it could backfire on you (for all reasons above).

[maxpotatohead]

Haha, given that he is the founder of Kaiam and Santur I think he has the credentials to throw shade.

[mmmBacon]

You made an account just to respond?

Generally it’s a good idea to sell what’s good about your product and not say things that are not true about other peoples products.

Also I wouldn’t brag about Kaiam.

[LargoLasskhyfv]

So has Gb/s a new meaning now? Giga blinks per second?

[throwaway48476]

So, toslink?