Toward an optimal foundation architecture for optoelectronic computing Part I Regularly interconnected device planes

Abstract

By systematically examining the tree of possibilities for optoelectronic computing architectures and offering arguments that allow one to prune suboptimal branches of this tree, I come to the conclusion that electronic circuit planes interconnected optically according to regular connection patterns represent an alternative that is reasonably close to the best possible, as defined by physical limitations. Thus I propose that this foundation architecture should provide a basis for future research and development in this area.

Rationale and challenges for optical interconnects to electronic chips

“…Since that time, a body of work (see, for example, [4] and [6]- [33]) has addressed potential benefits and limits of optics for interconnection [4], [7], [8], [12], [14]- [16], [20], [23], [24], [28], analysis of the relative benefits of optics versus electronics [4], [6], [9]- [11], [13], [21], [22], [26], [27], [30], [31], [33], and comparison of different kinds of optical approaches against one another [17]- [19], [25], [29]. Several of these papers review parts of this work (e.g., [20], [22], [27], and [28]).…”

Information flow and interconnections in computing: extensions and applications of Rent's rule

“…However, it is necessary to complement these tools with physically accurate models of interconnection media. Such analytical models for normally conducting, repeatered, superconducting, and optical interconnections which take into account the skin effect, both unterminated and terminated lines, optimization of repeater configurations, superconducting penetration depth and critical current densities, optical diffraction, and similar effects have been developed in [54] and subsequently applied to determine the limitations of these interconnection media and their relative strengths and weaknesses [54,52,47,46,57]. Treating inverse signal delay S and bandwidth B as performance parameters, these studies characterize systems with N elements by surfaces of physical possibility in S-B-N space, which are to be compared with surfaces of algorithmic necessity in the same space.…”

Fundamental Issues in Optical Interconnections

“…Some of these studies are part of a specific development effort, but the results nevertheless have general applicability or implications. [29,30,31] 5.5. PHYSICAL SYSTEM ARCHITECTURE AND TECHNOLOGY PLATFORM DEVELOPMENT Many different systems employing optical interconnections in one form or another have been or are being developed.…”