Serving as the bedrock of high-speed optical communication, optical frequency combs facilitate the parallel transmission of data, presenting viable solutions to tackle the bandwidth constraints and power consumption challenges inherent in traditional optical communication methods. Nevertheless, the widespread practical implementation of optical frequency combs continues to pose a significant hurdle within the industry. The research team, helmed by Chen Siming from the Institute of Semiconductors at the Chinese Academy of Sciences and in collaboration with several institutions, has triumphantly engineered a 100GHz quantum dot optical frequency comb laser. This laser is capable of maintaining stable operation even under extreme temperatures, reaching up to 140°C, thereby offering a pivotal light source solution for Tbps-scale optical interconnects. This device stands out for its exceptional transmission capacity, low energy consumption, and high reliability, fulfilling the criteria for commercial use. It provides a high-performance yet economical light source option for optical interconnect systems in forthcoming data centers and AI computing clusters.
