Light-Speed Logic: The Case for Photonic Computing as Silicon's Long-Overdue Successor
The semiconductor industry's decades-long reliance on silicon transistors is approaching a reckoning, and optical computing is emerging as the most credible candidate to carry computation forward. Recent breakthroughs in photonic chip architecture, optical interconnects, and light-based logic gates are shifting the conversation from theoretical possibility to engineering roadmap. This analysis examines the science, the stakes, and the realistic timeline for a photonic computing revolution.