IBM is among several companies betting big on optical computing
as the next big thing to replace traditional electricity based
computing. Optical computing is seen as a stepping stone for
even more advanced computing technologies such as quantum
computing. In order to build a quantum computer, three key
light-based components are needed: transistors to form a CPU,
I/O equipment, and memory/storage media. IBM already has the I/O
side well on the way, thanks to its advanced fiber optics
research and switching breakthroughs. It has also seen great
gains in memory and storage media. Finally, it could likely
adapt its switching technology from the I/O research to form a
transistor analog. All the pieces are in place, though still in
early stages, however; one critical component was missing --
something to make intense light pulses on a nanoscale. IBM
needed a nanolaser and that's exactly what its researchers have
created. The new nanolaser will likely be analogous to the clock
in a full nanocomputer, producing the