Data Centres Turn to Light Instead of Copper Wires
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Data centres process vast amounts of information every day, using hundreds of tonnes of copper wire to deliver electrical power and transmit data. However, industry leaders believe copper's role is ending not because supplies are running out, but because a better technology exists. These facilities face a challenge: the copper wires connecting computer servers create heat and slow down data transmission. Engineers are now replacing these wires with fibre optic systems that use light instead of electrons.
How Light Replaces Electricity
The technology, called photonics, sends data as photons of light rather than electrical signals through copper cables. Light has advantages over electricity: it produces far less heat, meaning cooling systems require less energy. Photonics also allows multiple data streams to travel down a single channel, increasing capacity without additional infrastructure. Researchers and major technology companies like Nvidia have worked on this technology for years, and experts now believe it is ready for widespread use in data centres.
Building a New Manufacturing System
Despite its promise, switching to photonics presents practical difficulties. Electrical and optical engineering follow different traditions, and their manufacturing processes are spread across the globe. The industry has perfected making electrical components cheaply and efficiently, but photonics requires new expertise and supply chains. Companies must figure out how to reduce costs while assembling complex optical and electrical systems together. This transition will take time, but the potential energy savings make it worthwhile.
Discussion Questions
- Why do engineers want to replace copper wires in data centres if copper supplies are not scarce?
- What is the main advantage that light offers over electricity for transmitting data in these facilities?
- According to the article, how can photonics increase data centre capacity without building new infrastructure?
- What engineering challenge does the article identify as the biggest obstacle to switching to photonics quickly?
- If photonics uses less energy for cooling, who benefits most from this change in technology?
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