February 1, 2005, Oshkosh, WI--LightTime LLC, a privately-held developer of semiconductor lasers, announced the preliminary release of its LightClock series pulsed laser for optical clocking of microprocessors and other applications. Intended to be used instead of conventional quartz-referenced electronic clocks, LightClocks are compact modelocked semiconductor lasers with pulse rates scalable from 8 to 100 GHz. LightClocks are mass-produced semiconductor devices that are particularly economical for microprocessor clocking. The lasers interface with microprocessors in a variety of customer-specified formats, including flipchip, fiberoptic, planar waveguide, or made-to-order methods.
The current microprocessor-specific LightClock lasers operate at a design wavelength of 860 nm--appropriate for silicon photodetectors, which are compatible with CMOS processes. The overall design operating range is 700-1600 nm, and LightTime is developing picosecond pulsed lasers at wavelengths and speeds for a wide variety of applications. The Company's proprietary technology achieves picosecond modelocking passively and without an external cavity structure, which enables mass production at reduced cost. Compared to conventional electronic clocking, LightClocks have no RFI/EMI issues, and their optical output can reduce microprocessor skew and jitter. LightClocks also substantially reduce on-chip clocking and signal distribution power consumption and heat generation.
"The LightClock offers benefits, such as low power consumption and reduced skew and jitter that will drive the transition from quartz-based electronic timing to true optical timing nearer term at more modest speeds," said Clark Caflisch, president and chief executive officer of LightTime.
LightTime is forming strategic partnerships with qualified organizations. Engineering samples of the Company's LightClock lasers will be produced in collaboration with these strategic partners' development programs.