Terabus: Terabit/second-class card-level optical interconnect technologies

Abstract

In the "Terabus" optical interconnect program, optical data bus technologies are developed that will support terabit/second chip-to-chip data transfers over organic cards within high-performance servers, switch routers, and other intensive computing systems. A complete technology set is developed for this purpose, based on a chip-like optoelectronic packaging structure (Optochip), assembled directly onto an organic card (Optocard). Vertical-cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) and photodiode arrays (4 × 12) are flip-chip bonded to the driver and receiver IC arrays implemented in 0.13-μm CMOS. The IC arrays are in turn flip-chip assembled onto a 1.2-cm 2 silicon carrier interposer to complete the transmitter and receiver Optochips. The organic Optocard incorporates 48 parallel multimode optical waveguides on a 62.5-μm pitch. A simple scheme for optical coupling between the Optochip and the Optocard is developed, based on a single-lens array etched onto the backside of the optoelectronic arrays and on 45° mirrors in the waveguides. Transmitter and receiver operation is demonstrated up to 20 and 14 Gb/s per channel, respectively. The power dissipation of 10-Gb/s single-channel links over multimode fiber is as low as 50 mW. © 2006 IEEE.