Intel's silicon laser chip

Researchers today plan to unveil a silicon-based chip that uses laser light rather than wires to transmit data between chips.
The technology is expected to greatly accelerate the pace at which data move inside computers, increasing processing speeds and cutting costs, and increase data transmission capabilities between fiber-optic networks and conventional wire-based systems.

According to the Researchers, one result could be that, for a few dollars apiece, the chips could transmit data at 100 times the speed of laser-based communications equipment, called optical transceivers that typically cost several thousand dollars. Another result could be the possibility of sending avalanches of data to and from individual homes at far less cost.

The technology was developed by researchers at chip-maker Intel and scientists at the University of California at Santa Barbara.