Fujitsu develops optical switch that cuts power consumption by
halfNovember 9th, 2010 in Technology / Semiconductors Figure 1:
Next-generation network using optical switches Fujitsu
Laboratories Limited today announced that it has been able to
halve the power consumption of an optical waveguide switch based
on silicon photonics through the world's first use of fine-
patterned silicon germanium (SiGe) for this application, rather
than conventional silicon (Si). This achievement will allow for
high-speed optical switches capable of operating across a wide
range of wavelengths, while featuring the world's lowest power
requirements. In accordance with the constant rise of data
volume being transmitted over networks, likewise, the power
consumption of networking equipment shows a continuous growth
trend, leading to concerns for a potentially serious energy
problem in the future. Fujitsu's newly-developed technology will
help contain power consumption while supporting large-volume
network traffic, thus enabling high