Optical technologies

The optical world, referring to the use of optics in computing, is very promising indeed for the future to support the bandwidth requirements of Next Generation Networks, Cloud Computing and expansion of the Internet. Major breakthroughs are expected in the area of silicon photonics, nanotechnologies and non-linear optics which could lead changes in the way computers and data centers are designed.

This ITU-T Technology Watch Report provides an overview of the optical world and surveys standards and ongoing research work which will lead to a new generation of Internet and computing devices.