Optical link on silicon wafer is part of a low-energy membrane indium phosphide device which enables high-speed data transmission

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1076544

"overcomes using copper wires (inefficient power usage), short optical interconnects (little efficiency gains)... electro-absorption modulator-integrated with distributed feedback laser, integrated with membrane photodiode, coupled to 7.6-mm silicon oxide waveguide forming electrical-optical-electrical link on silicon wafer... 100-um active region membrane laser achieving low threshold current/ high differential quantum efficiency, 0.14 or 0.26 pJ/bit energy to transmit 50- and 64-Gbit/s non-return-to-zero signals, respectively"