Demonstrating a bright future [optoelectronic demonstrators]

Reviewed the technologies behind two successful optoelectronic demonstrator systems. These demonstrators show that the optics-in-computing technologies are reaching a level of sophistication where their deployment in "real-world" computing/networking environments becomes increasingly likely. The primary requirements for the successful transfer of these technologies from the laboratory to the "real world" are larger, more uniform arrays of the optoelectronic devices and highly stable optical and optomechanical assemblies. The advent of high-efficiency, low-power consumption arrays of oxide-confined VCSELs has reduced the overall optical complexity of these demonstrators with subsequent gains in the mechanical stability of these optical systems. Although at present the maximum array size of VCSELs that is readily available is 8 × 8, there is, in principle, no reason why larger arrays cannot be developed. In tandem with these developments, the design and fabrication of micro-optical elements has reached the stage where they can be regarded as the standard optoelectronic interconnection method. Micro-optical optoelectronic system demonstrators show that optics-in-computing interconnection technologies are nearing real-world readiness.