NTT Corporation, in collaboration with Tokyo-based electronics giant Toshiba, is making significant strides in their Innovative Optical and Wireless Network (IOWN) initiative. This ambitious initiative aims to revolutionize how we move data. In particular, it addresses the growing pressures to maximize speed and efficiency within data centers. The second phase of IOWN aims to develop optical communication between circuit boards. It’s headed on track to being commercialized by 2026 and would be a huge advancement in data communication technology.
The IOWN initiative imagines a transition to a world where optical communication can replace electrical wiring inside data centers. As part of this vision, NTT is partnering with U.S. chipmaker Broadcom and other industry leaders to develop a second-generation Photonic Engine Chip (PEC). This partnership reflects all of our shared and cooperative aspirations to innovate. No matter where this brave new digital world takes us, together, we’re committed to staying ahead of the curve.
Advancements in Optical Communication
The crux of IOWN’s vision is to replace electrical wiring with optical solutions to transmit data. Project architect C. Sean Lawrence, one of the crucial players in the groundbreaking project, stresses the importance of new ideas.
“We need to think differently to overcome this,” – C. Sean Lawrence
This transition to optical communication aims to boost data transfer speeds and lower power usage in the process. The second phase of IOWN will start to establish a foundation for such inter-chip links in 2028. Intra-chip connections should be next, by 2032. Taken together, these changes are sure to lead to a more streamlined and greener infrastructure for data centers.
“The core idea is to move from electrical wiring to optical, inside data centers, between circuit boards in servers, between silicon packages on circuit boards, and eventually between the silicon die inside a package.” – C. Sean Lawrence
Recently, NTT demonstrated high-speed factory production via an optical and wireless network controlled from a data center located 300 kilometers away. This event pioneered the event industry, demonstrating how photonics can come together to build a next-generation, advanced information and communications infrastructure.
Demonstrating the Potential of Photonics
The demonstration accomplished a delay time of just 17 milliseconds, highlighting the possibility for long-distance, high-speed data transfer. Takasumi Tanabe, a professor of electronics and electrical engineering at Tokyo’s Keio University, emphasized what IOWN could bring to bear. He touted how these new improvements continue to push R&D and technological innovation.
Tanabe cautioned that a completely ‘all-optical’ system may not be attainable just yet with current device physics in play. Yet he underscored the importance of photonic devices in tomorrow’s systems, where low power consumption, high bandwidth and low latency will all be essential.
“At the device level, some aspects are more challenging,” – Takasumi Tanabe
As NTT and Toshiba push forward with development of IOWN, they haven’t been the only players on this front. The initiative has attracted endorsements from over 160 members. That’s a pretty incredible lineup, including the world’s largest chip and server manufacturers, and most of the world’s largest internet companies like Google and Microsoft. This unique collaborative environment is what really drives innovation and accelerates positive advancements throughout the entire industry.
“Even so, I expect photonic devices to play an increasingly important role in the most critical parts of future systems, where low-power consumption, high bandwidth, and low latency are required.” – Takasumi Tanabe
The Future of Data Transmission
Very encouraging progress on package-to-package connections!! ⚿️ pic.twitteriteachies Yosuke Aragane, Leader, IOWN Development Office This creative deployment of technology is one of the most important pieces of their groundbreaking project. Just like the push to improve connectivity within data centers represents an industry-wide effort to find better ways to send data,
Rubenstein continues that with the arrival of AI, computing is really back in the center of it all.
Rubenstein adds that with the advent of AI, computing has returned to the center of everything.
“With the advent of AI,” Rubenstein adds, “Computing has returned to center of everything. If the AI boom slows, then the urgency will disappear. But if AI continues as it has done, in five years it will be much closer to that vision.” – Rubenstein