Optical multichannel parallel chip-to-chip data distribution

Abstract

The design and the modelling results of an 8 channel parallel optical chip to chip interconnection consisting of a laser diode (LD) array, a single-mode waveguide (WG) array, and a photodiode (PD) array with 8 channels each are presented. The separation of the channels is 125 im, so the overall width of the 8 channel line is only I mm. The electronic and the optoelectronic components will be mounted on a silicon substrate wafer and the waveguides on a second silicon wafer which will be fixed upside down on the substrate. The LDs are envisaged to be AlGaAs singlequantum well types though the first implementation will be realized with conventional A1GaAs MCRW semiconductor lasers with a wavelength of 0.85 rim. The PDs are fabricated in standard silicon technology, the silica WGs with the flame hydrolysis technique and reactive ion etching. The trade off between large fabrication tolerances and the desired high coupling efficiencies is discussed. Mounting techniques for the LD-and PD-arrays are presented. A comparison between this optical interconnection and an equivalent electrical one is given.

Impact of polymer-integrated optics on silicon wafer area networks

“…The first is providing all optical interconnections sep arate from the electronic wafer as illustrated in Figure 3. [22,23] This physically distinct optical fabric plane could conventional electronics 3lmplicit in these requirements is either the use of externally sourced optical power distribution with internal modulation or the existence of low current, improved reliability optical sources. then be processed in any fashion and then aligned and optically or electrically coupled within a stack of wafers to one or more active electronics wafers.…”