High density vertical optical interconnects for passive assembly
Citation
D. Weninger, S. Serna, A. Jain, L. Kimerling, and A. Agarwal, “High density vertical optical interconnects for passive assembly,” Opt. Express, vol. 31, no. 2, pp. 2816–2831, Jan. 2023.
Keywords
- Vertical optical interconnects
- Co-packaged optics
- Chip-to-chip coupling
- Double tapers
- Alignment tolerance
- Silicon photonics
- Optical interposer
- Passive assembly
- Evanescent coupling
Brief
This article presents a novel vertical optical interconnect design using overlapping, inverse double tapers for efficient, dense, and wide alignment-tolerance chip-to-chip coupling in co-packaged optics.
Summary
The article "High density vertical optical interconnects for passive assembly," published in Optics Express in 2023, proposes a new design for vertically connecting optical waveguides. The authors, Drew Weninger, Samuel Serna, Achint Jain, Lionel Kimerling, and Anuradha Agarwal, argue that this technology is essential for the future of data centers and high-bandwidth computing.
Here are the key takeaways from the article:
- The Problem: Current data centers rely on copper interconnects, which struggle to meet the increasing demand for bandwidth. Optical interconnects are a promising solution, but they require efficient and scalable ways to connect optical components.
- The Proposed Solution: The article proposes a novel vertical optical interconnect design using two overlapping, inverse double tapers. This design uses readily available materials like silicon and silicon nitride, making it compatible with existing manufacturing processes.
- Advantages: Simulations show that the proposed design offers low insertion loss, high alignment tolerance, and broad bandwidth. This means the components can be assembled passively, reducing manufacturing complexity and cost.
- Wider Implications: The authors believe this technology can be applied beyond data centers, impacting fields like self-driving cars, RF devices, and environmental sensors.
The article provides a detailed analysis of the design, including simulation results and comparisons with other coupling methods. The authors conclude that their design presents a practical and scalable solution for high-density optical interconnects, paving the way for future advancements in various technology sectors.
Origin: https://opg.optica.org/oe/fulltext.cfm?uri=oe-31-2-2816&id=525083