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Why is Apple switching to Intel ?

Silicon Photonics may be the answer.

Latest Breakthrough: A Continuous Silicon Laser

In a paper published February 17, 2005 by the prestigious scientific journal Nature, Intel researchers disclosed the development of the first continuous wave all-silicon laser using a physical property called the Raman Effect. They built the experimental device using Intel's existing standard CMOS high-volume manufacturing processes. This is the third silicon photonics paper Intel has published in Nature in the past year, beginning with the modulator breakthrough in February 2004.

In this latest paper, Intel researchers describe how they incorporated a novel diode-like structure (technically called a PIN – P-type/Intrinsic/N-type device) into the silicon cavity laser. This solved the "two photon absorption" problem that caused early versions of the device to only achieve lasing for an infinitesimal fraction of a second before shutting off. Like the first laser developed in 1960, Intel's device uses an external source (a laser) to supply the initial energy. The PIN device combined with the Raman Effect produces a continuous laser beam at a new wavelength.

The breakthrough device could lead to such practical applications as optical amplifiers, lasers, wavelength converters, and new kinds of lossless optical devices. A low-cost all-silicon Raman laser could inspire innovation in the development of new medical, sensor, and spectroscopy devices.

http://www.intel.com/technology/silicon/sp/