Corning has introduced a new fiber and connector technology developed for Intel Corporation to support its upcoming Intel Silicon Photonics Technology products.

Corning said Intel challenged the company to design optical connectivity solutions to enable Intel Silicon Photonics Technology (SPT) products in development.

The resulting combination of the Intel and Corning technologies is expected to help send massive amounts of data - up to 1.6 terabits per second - at lengths up to 300m into and around servers in data centers, helping speed the industry’s transition to cloud computing, big data and rack-scale architectures.

“Our upcoming products require connectivity technology that complements the high speed and advanced capabilities of silicon photonics, and that is also tailored for the specific needs of data centers,” said Mario Paniccia, Intel fellow and general manager, Silicon Photonics operation.

“As a world leader in fiber technology, Corning is uniquely qualified to be the first to deliver these capabilities.”

Corning analyzed Intel’s technology requirements and developed Corning ClearCurve LX Multimode Fiber, designed to enable 25G transmission at 1310 nm, the wavelength used in silicon photonic systems, and capable of the tight bends within and around data center components.

In addition, Corning developed the MXC Connector, which provides up to 64-fiber connectivity in a smaller footprint and at a lower cost than most traditional multi-fiber connectors. When configured with 64 fibers, this solution is designed to deliver data rates up to 1.6 terabits per second.

Corning has developmental samples of ClearCurve LX Multimode Fiber now. Corning said it will offer the fiber and the MXC Connector as a complete product, called the Pretium EDGE SiPh Cable Assembly, when Intel Silicon Photonics components are available.

Intel said its journey to the disaggregated rack – where no particular CPU, NIC, memory card, power supply of fan serves a particular server – is heavily reliant on silicon photonics.

But it said the technology must first become cheaper, and that it is currently working with cable companies to get the cost down.

Read more about Intel’s disaggregated rack and the role silicon photonics plays in Intel’s approach in our special FOCUS on Racks & Cabinets in the most recent edition of FOCUS magazine – available from the iPad Appstore at DCDFocus, or online as a digital edition here.