{"id":6977,"date":"2026-07-24T22:44:51","date_gmt":"2026-07-24T22:44:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lockitsoft.com\/?p=6977"},"modified":"2026-07-24T22:44:51","modified_gmt":"2026-07-24T22:44:51","slug":"new-programmable-photonic-chip-can-control-how-fast-light-moves-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lockitsoft.com\/?p=6977","title":{"rendered":"New programmable photonic chip can control how fast light moves"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/lockitsoft.com\/?p=6977\/#The_Convergence_of_AI_Demands_and_Semiconductor_Limits\" >The Convergence of AI Demands and Semiconductor Limits<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/lockitsoft.com\/?p=6977\/#Solving_the_%22Slow_Light%22_Dilemma\" >Solving the &quot;Slow Light&quot; Dilemma<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/lockitsoft.com\/?p=6977\/#A_New_Design_Principle_Unified_Degrees_of_Freedom\" >A New Design Principle: Unified Degrees of Freedom<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/lockitsoft.com\/?p=6977\/#Key_Capabilities_of_the_Programmable_Chip\" >Key Capabilities of the Programmable Chip:<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/lockitsoft.com\/?p=6977\/#Technical_Validation_and_Material_Science\" >Technical Validation and Material Science<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/lockitsoft.com\/?p=6977\/#Chronology_of_Development_and_Collaborative_Effort\" >Chronology of Development and Collaborative Effort<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/lockitsoft.com\/?p=6977\/#Implications_for_the_Future_of_Technology\" >Implications for the Future of Technology<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/lockitsoft.com\/?p=6977\/#Data_Centers_and_AI\" >Data Centers and AI<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/lockitsoft.com\/?p=6977\/#Autonomous_Driving_and_6G\" >Autonomous Driving and 6G<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/lockitsoft.com\/?p=6977\/#Quantum_Computing\" >Quantum Computing<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/lockitsoft.com\/?p=6977\/#Official_Responses_and_Next_Steps\" >Official Responses and Next Steps<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Convergence_of_AI_Demands_and_Semiconductor_Limits\"><\/span>The Convergence of AI Demands and Semiconductor Limits<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The global surge in generative artificial intelligence (AI), characterized by the rise of large-scale models like GPT-4 and Claude, has placed an unprecedented strain on global computing infrastructure. Data centers, which serve as the backbone for these AI models, are currently grappling with a &quot;power wall.&quot; Traditional electronic semiconductors, which rely on the movement of electrons through copper or silicon traces, generate significant heat and consume vast amounts of electricity as data transmission speeds increase. According to industry estimates, the energy consumption of AI-related data centers is projected to double by 2026, reaching levels comparable to the total electricity consumption of medium-sized nations.<\/p>\n<p>As electronic chips approach their physical limits regarding heat dissipation and signal latency, the technology sector has looked toward optical computing as a potential successor. Photonic systems use photons\u2014particles of light\u2014rather than electrons to process and move information. Light offers the promise of near-infinite bandwidth and significantly lower energy loss. However, light possesses a fundamental property that makes it difficult to manage in a computing context: it moves at a constant, extremely high speed. In a standard electronic computer, signals can be easily buffered, delayed, or stored in memory. In an optical system, &quot;holding&quot; light in place or delaying a signal to synchronize it with others is a daunting engineering task.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Solving_the_%22Slow_Light%22_Dilemma\"><\/span>Solving the &quot;Slow Light&quot; Dilemma<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>To address this synchronization issue, researchers have long sought ways to create &quot;slow light.&quot; This is typically achieved through a phenomenon known as Coupled-Resonator-Induced Transparency (CRIT). CRIT utilizes the interference patterns generated between multiple optical resonators to allow light to pass through a medium that would otherwise be opaque, while simultaneously reducing the group velocity of the light pulses.<\/p>\n<p>While CRIT has been a known concept, its implementation has historically been rigid. Traditional photonic integrated circuits (PICs) are &quot;hard-wired&quot; during the manufacturing process. Once the resonators are etched onto a chip, their operating frequencies, bandwidths, and delay capabilities are fixed. If a data center engineer requires a different delay time or needs to operate at a different frequency, the entire chip must be redesigned and refabricated\u2014a process that is both costly and time-consuming.<\/p>\n<p>The team led by Professors Namkyoo Park and Sunkyu Yu of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Seoul National University, alongside Professor Xianji Piao from the University of Seoul, has fundamentally changed this paradigm. Their research, published in the journal <em>Advanced Science<\/em>, introduces a programmable photonic circuit that allows for real-time adjustments to how light behaves within the chip.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"A_New_Design_Principle_Unified_Degrees_of_Freedom\"><\/span>A New Design Principle: Unified Degrees of Freedom<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The core innovation of the South Korean team lies in their treatment of the optical states within the CRIT system. Specifically, they treated the &quot;bright mode&quot; (the state that interacts directly with the input light) and the &quot;dark mode&quot; (the state that is excited through coupling) as a single, unified degree of freedom. By integrating these modes with two controllable loop couplers, the researchers created a mathematical and physical framework for a fully adjustable resonator system.<\/p>\n<p>This design allows the circuit to be reconfigured after it has been manufactured. The loop couplers act as &quot;dials&quot; that can be adjusted to change the interference patterns within the resonators. This means that a single chip can now perform multiple functions that previously required separate, dedicated devices.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Key_Capabilities_of_the_Programmable_Chip\"><\/span>Key Capabilities of the Programmable Chip:<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Adjustable Delay:<\/strong> The time it takes for a light signal to travel through the circuit can be lengthened or shortened on demand.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Bandwidth Control:<\/strong> The range of frequencies the chip can process can be narrowed or widened.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Passband Shaping:<\/strong> The physical shape of the signal can be modified to ensure it remains clear and readable after transmission.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Frequency Conversion:<\/strong> The system can shift the frequency of light without the need for additional, bulky components.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Technical_Validation_and_Material_Science\"><\/span>Technical Validation and Material Science<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>To prove the viability of their design, the research team conducted exhaustive three-dimensional electromagnetic simulations. They chose Silicon Nitride (Si3N4) as the platform for their photonic integrated circuit. Silicon Nitride is increasingly favored in the photonics industry over traditional silicon because it offers a wider transparency range and lower optical losses, making it ideal for high-performance computing applications.<\/p>\n<p>The simulations were designed to mirror real-world conditions as closely as possible. The researchers accounted for a variety of &quot;non-ideal&quot; factors that often plague semiconductor manufacturing, including:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Material Losses:<\/strong> The inevitable absorption of light by the chip material.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Fabrication Fluctuations:<\/strong> Minor variations in the size and shape of resonators during the etching process.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Thermal Crosstalk:<\/strong> The heat generated by one part of the chip affecting the performance of another.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Phase Errors:<\/strong> Misalignments in the timing of light waves as they move through the loop couplers.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The results were highly encouraging. The programmable CRIT structure maintained its stability and performance even when subjected to these realistic variables. Most notably, the numerical simulations demonstrated that the speed of optical pulses could be adjusted dynamically while the circuit was in operation, a feat that would allow AI servers to adapt to changing data loads in real time.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Chronology_of_Development_and_Collaborative_Effort\"><\/span>Chronology of Development and Collaborative Effort<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The development of this technology follows years of incremental progress in the field of silicon photonics. The project was a multi-institutional effort, drawing on the theoretical expertise of Seoul National University and the school of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Seoul.<\/p>\n<p>The research was supported by a suite of high-level government programs in South Korea, including the Ministry of Science and ICT\u2019s Innovative Research Center (IRC) program and the Young Researcher Program. This reflects the South Korean government\u2019s strategic interest in maintaining a lead in the global semiconductor race, particularly as the industry shifts toward &quot;Photonic AI.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Dr. Seungkyun Park, a co-first author currently affiliated with the InnoCORE PICORE Center at KAIST, played a pivotal role in the theoretical framework. Alongside Ph.D. student Beomjoon Chae from SNU, the team spent months refining the numerical analysis required to unify the bright and dark mode parameters. Their work suggests that reinterpreting classical resonator physics through a programmable lens can unlock functionalities that were previously thought to be impossible at the chip scale.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Implications_for_the_Future_of_Technology\"><\/span>Implications for the Future of Technology<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The commercialization of programmable photonic integrated circuits could trigger a shift in several high-tech industries. By moving toward &quot;software-defined&quot; optical hardware, companies can reduce the complexity of their infrastructure while increasing performance.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Data_Centers_and_AI\"><\/span>Data Centers and AI<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>In the immediate term, this technology offers a solution to the AI bottleneck. By allowing light signals to wait and synchronize within the chip, these programmable circuits can act as high-speed optical buffers. This reduces the need for &quot;O-E-O&quot; (Optical-Electrical-Optical) conversions, where light signals are turned into electricity to be stored and then turned back into light. Since O-E-O conversion is energy-intensive and slow, eliminating it can lead to a massive reduction in the carbon footprint of AI training.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Autonomous_Driving_and_6G\"><\/span>Autonomous Driving and 6G<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>For autonomous vehicles, processing vast amounts of sensor data from LiDAR and cameras in real time is a matter of safety. Programmable photonics can process these signals at the speed of light while allowing for the fine-tuned delays necessary for complex object recognition. Similarly, in the realm of 6G communications, the ability to control signal timing and frequency on a single chip will be essential for managing the ultra-high-frequency bands required for next-generation connectivity.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Quantum_Computing\"><\/span>Quantum Computing<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Quantum systems often rely on the precise manipulation of single photons. The ability to delay a photon without losing its quantum state is a &quot;holy grail&quot; for quantum memory and logic gates. The SNU and UoS team&#8217;s research provides a potential blueprint for more stable and adjustable quantum photonic circuits.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Official_Responses_and_Next_Steps\"><\/span>Official Responses and Next Steps<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Professor Namkyoo Park emphasized that this study is more than just a technical improvement; it is a foundational shift in design philosophy. &quot;This research is significant in that it proposes a new design principle that allows the flow of light within photonic integrated circuits to be reconfigured as needed, greatly enhancing design flexibility,&quot; Park stated. He noted that the team\u2019s next objective is to scale this technology, moving from individual components to large-scale programmable PICs based on silicon photonics.<\/p>\n<p>The researchers are now looking toward experimental validation. Having proven the concept through rigorous 3D simulations, the next phase involves physical prototyping and testing in high-traffic data environments.<\/p>\n<p>As the world continues to demand more &quot;intelligence&quot; from its machines, the underlying hardware must evolve. The development of a programmable chip that can slow light on demand represents a vital step toward a future where optical computing is not just a laboratory curiosity, but the standard for the global digital economy. By mastering the speed of light, the researchers at Seoul National University and the University of Seoul have provided the tools to ensure that the AI revolution does not run out of steam.<\/p>\n<!-- RatingBintangAjaib -->","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Convergence of AI Demands and Semiconductor Limits The global surge in generative artificial intelligence (AI), characterized by the rise of large-scale models like GPT-4 and Claude, has placed an unprecedented strain on global computing infrastructure. Data centers, which serve as the backbone for these AI models, are currently grappling with a &quot;power wall.&quot; Traditional &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":27,"featured_media":6975,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[23,1059,920,25,3237,3238,24,3239,3236,1442],"class_list":["post-6977","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-artificial-intelligence","tag-ai","tag-chip","tag-control","tag-data-science","tag-fast","tag-light","tag-machine-learning","tag-moves","tag-photonic","tag-programmable"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lockitsoft.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6977","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lockitsoft.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lockitsoft.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lockitsoft.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/27"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lockitsoft.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=6977"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lockitsoft.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6977\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lockitsoft.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/6975"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lockitsoft.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6977"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lockitsoft.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6977"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lockitsoft.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6977"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}