Photonic latch memory could enable optical processor caches that run up to 60 GHz, twenty times faster than standard caches — optical SRAM stores and outputs data entirely as light, but density challenges remain

Researchers have developed a photonic memory latch that could enable optical processor caches to run at speeds up to 60 GHz, significantly faster than current caches. The latch, designed as an optical counterpart to SRAM, addresses interconnect delay and conversion costs between light and electricity. While the technology shows promise for fully photonic processors, challenges in density remain. The prototype, built on a commercial photonics platform, demonstrates write speeds of 20 GHz and read speeds of 50-60 GHz, surpassing electronic SRAM clock rates. However, the larger footprint of photonic components limits density, making it more suitable for applications like high-bandwidth links in data centers and HPC systems.