Optical input and output chip and distributed computing system

Abstract

Disclosed in the present invention are an optical input and output chip and a distributed computing system. The optical input and output chip comprises: an output sub-chip comprising a first optical processing module used for causing light provided by light sources to form N first optical branches, causing each first optical branch to be divided into M first sub-optical branches according to M wavelengths, performing one-by-one modulation, causing the N modulated first optical branches to form second optical branches containing N different modes, and outputting said second optical branches in a first polarization state; and an input sub-chip comprising a second optical processing module used for causing the second optical branches containing N different modes to form N third optical branches in the same mode, causing part of light in each third optical branch changing from the first polarization state to a second polarization state by means of rotation to enter the first polarization state again after being split, and to be respectively divided into M second sub-optical branches according to M wavelengths with the light in the first polarization state that has not rotated in the third optical branch where the light is originally located, and then performing merging in one-to-one correspondence for demodulation. Therefore, the communication rate and bandwidth can be effectively increased.

Description

Optical input and output chip and distributed computing system

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese patent application No. 202311368324.6, filed October 23, 2023, entitled “An Optical Input-Output Chip and Distributed Computing System,” the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] The present invention relates to the field of optoelectronic technology, and in particular to a novel optical high-speed input and output chip based on mode division multiplexing and / or wavelength division multiplexing and a distributed computing system using the chip. Background Art

[0003] High-speed input / output (I / O) refers to various technologies and interfaces used for rapid data transmission in computer and communication systems. These technologies aim to provide higher data rates, lower latency, and greater bandwidth to meet the demands of modern computing and communications. High-speed I / O technology plays a vital role in supercomputing, artificial intelligence, big data processing, high-performance computing, cloud computing, high-speed communications, virtual reality, and other fields. These applications place greater demands on high-speed I / O bandwidth and functionality, but traditional electrical high-speed I / O technology faces numerous bottlenecks and cannot consistently meet these demands.

[0004] The emergence of optical high-speed input / output (Optical I / O) technology offers the potential to address this problem. Optical high-speed I / O is a series of technologies that utilize high-bandwidth, high-density optical interfaces to address the I / O port distribution of high-capacity chips such as switch chips, CPUs, and GPUs, thereby solving the chip-to-chip interconnect problem. Compared to currently established electrical high-speed I / O technologies, optical high-speed I / O is expected to offer over a hundred times the channel density and bandwidth per channel, while also offering advantages such as low power consumption and low latency. For example, in next-generation artificial intelligence (AI) and high-performance computing (HPC) applications, distributed computing system architectures and pooled computing resources are required. High-speed interconnects between various computing resource chips (CPUs, GPUs, FPGAs, ASICs, etc.) require this type of optical high-speed I / O solution. Figure 1 is a simplified diagram of an existing optical high-speed input / output application. XPUs refer to individual computing resource chips, including CPUs, GPUs, FPGAs, and ASICs, and Optical I / Os refer to optical high-speed input / output chips. Two computing units are connected by optical fibers attached to their respective optical high-speed input / output chips, enabling high-speed interconnection between the two computing resource chips. Current optical high-speed input / output technology primarily utilizes wavelength division multiplexing (WDM), which uses multiple wavelengths to carry high-data-volume interconnections. For example, if eight wavelengths are used, each carrying 32 Gbit / s of data, a total of 8 × 32 Gbit / s = 256 Gbit / s of data can be carried. With the growing demand for higher-speed communications in the future, increasing bandwidth solely by increasing the number of wavelengths is facing extreme challenges. Furthermore, the increasing number of wavelengths places higher demands on light sources and increases costs. Therefore, a new solution is urgently needed to address this problem.

[0005] Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of the present invention is to overcome the above-mentioned defects in the prior art and to provide an optical input and output chip and a distributed computing system.

[0007] To achieve the above object, the technical solution of the present invention is as follows:

[0008] The present invention provides an optical input and output chip, comprising: an output sub-chip and an input sub-chip;

[0009] The output sub-chip includes a first optical processing module, which is used to form N first optical branches from light having M wavelengths provided by the light source, and to use wavelength division multiplexing and mode division multiplexing technologies to further differentiate the light in each first optical branch according to the M wavelengths to form M first sub-optical branches, and to modulate each of the M wavelengths one by one, and then to form the modulated light from the N first optical branches into second optical branches having N different modes, and to output the modulated light in a first polarization state to enter the optical transmission medium; wherein M≧1, N≧1;

[0010] The input sub-chip includes a second optical processing module, which is used to form N third optical branches with the same mode from the second optical branches containing the N different modes output by the output sub-chip and transmitted via the optical transmission medium, and to separate the portion of light in each third optical branch that is rotated from the first polarization state to a different second polarization state during transmission through the optical transmission medium and then forms the first polarization state again, and to combine the remaining light of the first polarization state that has not been rotated in the original third optical branch one by one for demodulation after being differentiated according to M wavelengths to form M second sub-optical branches.

[0011] Furthermore, the first optical processing module includes an optical splitter, a first wavelength demultiplexer, a modulator, a wavelength division multiplexer, and a mode division multiplexer. The optical splitter is used to divide the mixed light containing M wavelengths output by the same light source into the N first optical branches. The M wavelengths of light in each first optical branch are divided into the M first sub-optical branches by one of the first wavelength demultiplexers. The single wavelength light in each first sub-optical branch is loaded with a high-speed electrical signal through one of the modulators, that is, modulated, and then the M modulated single wavelength lights are combined into one path through one of the wavelength division multiplexers. Finally, the N first The light in the optical branches is merged into one path through a mode division multiplexer. During this process, the mode division multiplexer converts the light in the N first optical branches into the second optical branches containing the N different modes. Finally, these M wavelengths and N different modes of light loaded with high-speed electrical signals are transmitted to the input end of the input sub-chip in the first polarization state through a multimode optical fiber as an optical transmission medium at the output end of the output sub-chip. The light in the first polarization state transmitted in the multimode optical fiber is rotated. When it reaches the input end, part of the light will present the first polarization state, and the other part of the light will present the second polarization state; the second light is in the first polarization state. The processing module includes a mode demultiplexer and a polarization separation rotator, a second wavelength demultiplexer and a detector. The light of N different modes containing a first polarization state and a second polarization state input from the input end passes through one of the mode demultiplexers and the polarization separation rotator, converting the second optical branches containing N different modes into N third optical branches of the same mode, and separating the light of the second polarization state from the light of the first polarization state in each third optical branch, and then converting them into the first polarization state, so that each third optical branch is separated into two paths, a third optical branch A and a third optical branch B, wherein the third optical branch A is the light originally in the first polarization state, and the third optical branch B is the light originally in the first polarization state. B represents light that has been converted from the second polarization state to the first polarization state, and one third optical branch A and one third optical branch B corresponding to each third optical branch are arranged into a group, totaling N groups. The third optical branch A and the third optical branch B in each group are respectively passed through one of the second wavelength demultiplexers, and the M wavelengths of light contained in each of the third optical branch A and the third optical branch B in each group are further divided into M second sub-optical branches, thereby forming M pairs of second sub-optical branches arranged in a one-to-one correspondence with the same wavelength. The two lights of the same wavelength in each second sub-optical branch pair enter opposite ends of the same detector, are combined together, and are demodulated into high-speed electrical signals.

[0012] Furthermore, when the modulator is a micro-ring modulator, a micro-disk modulator, a photonic crystal modulator or a Bragg grating modulator, the modulator is also multiplexed into a first wavelength division multiplexer and a wavelength division multiplexer; and / or, the second wavelength division multiplexer is formed by a micro-ring modulator, a micro-disk modulator, a photonic crystal modulator or a Bragg grating modulator.

[0013] Furthermore, when N=1, another implementation method is: the optical splitter, the mode division multiplexer and the mode demultiplexer are not set, and the multimode optical fiber is replaced by a single-mode optical fiber, and the light output by the light source is directly input into the only first wavelength division multiplexer, and after being output by the only wavelength division multiplexer, it is transmitted through the output end of the output sub-chip via the single-mode optical fiber to the input end of the input sub-chip provided on another optical input and output chip or the same optical input and output chip, and directly enters the polarization separation rotator.

[0014] Furthermore, when M=1, another implementation method is: the first wavelength division multiplexer, the wavelength division multiplexer and the second wavelength division multiplexer are not set, and the N first optical branches separated by the optical splitter are directly modulated by one of the modulators and then directly enter the mode division multiplexer for mode conversion. The only two lights of the first polarization state with the same wavelength in each group of third optical branches formed by conversion by the mode division multiplexer and the polarization separation rotator directly enter the opposite ends of a corresponding detector.

[0015] Furthermore, the output sub-chip and the input sub-chip are arranged on the same optical input-output chip, or the output sub-chip and the input sub-chip are separately arranged on two different optical input-output chips; and / or the output sub-chip and the input sub-chip are connected by optical fiber, optical waveguide or photon wire bonding as an optical transmission medium; and / or the first optical branch to the third optical branch, the first sub-optical branch and the second sub-optical branch are formed on a waveguide.

[0016] Furthermore, the first polarization state includes a TE polarization state, and the second polarization state includes a TM polarization state; and / or, the N different modes include from the first-order mode to the N-order mode, and the second optical processing module enables the second optical branch containing the N different modes output by the output sub-chip to form a third optical branch of N first-order modes.

[0017] Furthermore, the light source is formed by packaging together a plurality of sub-light sources that respectively provide different wavelengths, or the light source is formed by a single light source that generates light of different wavelengths; and / or, the light source is provided on the optical input / output chip, or is externally located outside the optical input / output chip and transmits light into the optical input / output chip by optical coupling; and / or, the modulator includes a Mach-Zehnder interferometer modulator, a Michelson interferometer modulator, a directional coupler modulator, a germanium / silicon absorption modulator, a micro-ring modulator, a micro-disk modulator, a photonic crystal modulator, or a Bragg grating modulator; and / or, the optical splitter includes a Y-shaped branch, a trident-shaped branch, a multimode interference coupler, a directional coupler, an adiabatic coupler, a bent coupler, a photonic crystal splitter, or a sub-wavelength splitter; and / or, the first wavelength demultiplexer, the wavelength division multiplexer, or the The second wave demultiplexer includes an arrayed waveguide grating, an echelon grating, a cascaded Mach-Zehnder interferometer, a cascaded microring, a cascaded Mach-Zehnder interferometer and a microring or Fabry-Perot interferometer; and / or, the mode division multiplexer or the mode demultiplexer includes a multimode interference coupler, a multimode adiabatic coupler, a curved coupler, a reverse coupler, a multi-waveguide coupling structure, an irregular multimode structure, a grating structure, a photonic crystal structure or a subwavelength structure; and / or, the polarization separation rotator includes a double-layer wedge structure, a dual-material structure, a curved structure, a multimode interference structure or an adiabatic structure; and / or, the detector includes a PIN diode, a metal-semiconductor-metal photodetector or an avalanche photodiode; and / or, the mode demultiplexer and the polarization separation rotator realize their respective functions as two independent structures, or are integrated in the same structure to realize their respective functions.

[0018] The present invention also provides a distributed computing system comprising the above-mentioned optical input and output chip.

[0019] Furthermore, the distributed computing system includes a computing resource pool, a flash memory resource pool and a storage resource pool provided on a substrate, the computing resource pool including a plurality of computing units arranged in a first array, each of the computing units including a first light source, a first photonic integrated circuit chip, a first electronic integrated circuit chip and a computing resource chip, the flash memory resource pool including a plurality of flash memory units arranged in a second array, each of the flash memory units including a second light source, a second photonic integrated circuit chip, a second electronic integrated circuit chip and a flash memory resource chip, the storage resource pool including a plurality of storage units arranged in a third array, each of the storage units including a third light source, a third photonic integrated circuit chip, a third electronic integrated circuit chip and a storage resource chip; the optical input and output chips are respectively provided on the first photonic integrated circuit chip to the third photonic integrated circuit chip; the first photonic integrated circuit chip, the second photonic integrated circuit chip and the third photonic integrated circuit chip are optically interconnected by connecting optical fibers, optical waveguides or photonic wires as optical transmission media between the respective optical input and output chips.

[0020] As can be seen from the above technical solutions, the present invention uses wavelength division multiplexing and mode division multiplexing technologies on the optical input and output chip to modulate and demodulate the light emitted by the light source, effectively increasing the communication rate of the optical input and output chip, further increasing and expanding the bandwidth of the optical input and output chip, and at the same time having the advantages of high channel density, low power consumption, and low latency. In addition, when a modulator with wavelength selection function (such as a micro-ring modulator, a micro-disk modulator, a photonic crystal modulator, a Bragg grating modulator, etc.) is used for the output sub-chip, the use of the first wavelength division multiplexer and the wavelength division multiplexer can be eliminated. For the input sub-chip, a modulator with wavelength selection function can also be used to replace the second wavelength division multiplexer, which not only saves space on the chip, but also takes advantage of the small size of such modulators to achieve chip miniaturization and high bandwidth density. A distributed computing system using the optical input and output chip of the present invention can achieve optical interconnection between chips in the system by leveraging the optical high-speed input and output advantages of the optical input and output chip of the present invention, thereby effectively improving the interconnection bandwidth, increasing channel density, reducing power consumption, and improving latency. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] FIG1 is a schematic diagram of an existing application of optical high-speed input / output.

[0022] 2 to 6 are schematic structural diagrams of an optical input and output chip according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] FIG7 is a schematic diagram of an optical interconnection structure when an output sub-chip and an input sub-chip are separately provided on two different optical input and output chips according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] FIG8 is a schematic diagram of an optical interconnection structure when an output sub-chip and an input sub-chip are separately provided on the same optical input and output chip according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] FIG9 is a conceptual diagram of a distributed computing system architecture according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] In order to make the purpose, technical solutions and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below. Obviously, the described embodiments are part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention. Unless otherwise defined, the technical terms or scientific terms used herein should be the common meanings understood by people with ordinary skills in the field to which the invention belongs. The words "including" and similar words used in this article mean that the elements or objects appearing before the word cover the elements or objects listed after the word and their equivalents, without excluding other elements or objects.

[0027] The present invention provides an optical input and output chip, comprising: an output sub-chip and an input sub-chip;

[0028] The output sub-chip includes a first optical processing module, which is used to form N first optical branches from light having M wavelengths provided by the light source, and to use wavelength division multiplexing and mode division multiplexing technologies to further differentiate the light in each first optical branch according to the M wavelengths to form M first sub-optical branches, and to modulate each of the M wavelengths one by one, and then to form the modulated light from the N first optical branches into second optical branches having N different modes, and to output the modulated light in a first polarization state to enter the optical transmission medium; wherein M≧1, N≧1;

[0029] The input sub-chip includes a second optical processing module, which is used to form N third optical branches with the same mode from the second optical branches containing the N different modes output by the output sub-chip and transmitted via the optical transmission medium, and to separate the portion of light in each third optical branch that is rotated from the first polarization state to a different second polarization state during transmission through the optical transmission medium and then forms the first polarization state again, and to combine the remaining light of the first polarization state that has not been rotated in the original third optical branch one by one for demodulation after being differentiated according to M wavelengths to form M second sub-optical branches.

[0030] The present invention uses wavelength division multiplexing technology and mode division multiplexing technology on the optical input and output chip to modulate and demodulate the light emitted by the light source, which can effectively increase the communication rate of the optical input and output chip, further increase and expand the bandwidth of the optical input and output chip, and at the same time has the advantages of high channel density, low power consumption, and low latency.

[0031] An innovation of the present invention is that it is compatible with existing wavelength division multiplexing solutions.

[0032] A distributed computing system using the optical input / output chip of the present invention can realize optical interconnection between chips in the system through the optical high-speed input and output advantages of the optical input / output chip of the present invention, thereby effectively improving the interconnection bandwidth, increasing the channel density, reducing power consumption, and improving latency.

[0033] The specific embodiments of the present invention are further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0034] Refer to Figure 2. An optical input / output chip of the present invention includes an output sub-chip (functioning as a transmitter) located above the illustrated optical input / output chip and an input sub-chip (functioning as a receiver) located below the illustrated optical input / output chip. The output sub-chip includes a first optical processing module, and the input sub-chip includes a second optical processing module.

[0035] The first optical processing module includes an optical splitter, a first wavelength demultiplexer, a modulator, a wavelength division multiplexer, and a mode division multiplexer. The output sub-chip is provided with a light source (laser sources), which provides light (mixed light) containing M wavelengths (λ1~λM) to the optical splitter (Splitter), such as the light with M different wavelengths (λ1~λM) schematically shown at the light source in Figure 2, but not limited to this. The optical splitter divides the light output by the light source into N first optical branches, and the number of first optical branches is, for example, any number that matches the divisible mode of the light. Each of the N first optical branches contains light of M wavelengths.

[0036] The M wavelengths of light in each first optical branch are split into M first sub-optical branches according to the M wavelengths by a first wavelength division multiplexer (WDM demultiplexer). For example, each of the M first sub-optical branches corresponding to the M wavelengths contains light of a single wavelength, and the wavelengths of the light in each of the M first sub-optical branches are different. In other words, N first wavelength division multiplexers are provided, resulting in a total of M×N first sub-optical branches. The single-wavelength light in each first sub-optical branch passes through a modulator (Mod) to be loaded with a high-speed electrical signal, i.e., modulated. This results in a total of M×N modulators. The M modulated single-wavelength light in each first sub-optical branch is then combined into one channel by a wavelength division multiplexer (WDM mux), i.e., N WDM muxes are provided. Thus, the M wavelengths of light separated from each first optical branch are combined by the WDM and then combined again to form light containing M wavelengths (mixed light).

[0037] Ultimately, the light from the N first optical branches passes through a mode division multiplexer (MDM Mux) and is combined into one channel. During this process, the MDM Mux converts the light from the N first optical branches into second optical branches containing N different modes. Specifically, the MDM converts the light from each first optical branch into a light with a mode different from that of the light in the other first optical branches, for example, into a first-order mode light, a second-order mode light, and so on, up to an N-order mode light, forming a second optical branch containing N different modes. By forming the second optical branch on a waveguide, it can carry light in multiple modes. For example, if N is 3, after mode conversion, the light is converted into a first-order mode light, a second-order mode light, and a third-order mode light, forming a second optical branch containing three different modes. If N is 2, the light is converted into a first-order mode light and a second-order mode light, forming a second optical branch containing two different modes. In the extreme case, if N is 1, the light is converted into a second optical branch containing only a first-order mode light.

[0038] Finally, these M wavelengths and N different modes of light loaded with high-speed electrical signals are transmitted to the output end of the output sub-chip located on another optical input and output chip (or the same optical input and output chip), and enter the optical fiber serving as the optical transmission medium in the first polarization state at the output end of the output sub-chip, for example, in the TE polarization state through a multimode optical fiber and are transmitted to the input end of the input sub-chip.

[0039] As is common knowledge in the industry, although the light emitted by the light source is in the TE polarization state and remains in the TE polarization state when emitted from the output end of the output sub-chip, the polarization state will rotate when the light is transmitted in the optical fiber. Therefore, when it reaches the receiving end (input end) of the input sub-chip, part of the light will present the TE polarization state, while the other part of the light will present the TM polarization state (the second polarization state), which needs to be separated.

[0040] The second optical processing module includes a mode demultiplexer (MDM demultiplexer), a polarization splitter rotator (PSR), a second waveband demultiplexer (WDM demultiplexer), and a photodetector (PD). Light containing TE and TM polarization states, output from the output sub-chip and transmitted via optical fiber to the input port, passes through a mode demultiplexer and polarization splitter rotator (Note: In the figure, the mode demultiplexer and polarization splitter rotator are integrated into the same rectangular box and represented as MDM demux & PSR, indicating that the mode demultiplexer and polarization splitter rotator are integrated into a single structure to jointly perform their functions. In some cases, the mode demultiplexer and polarization splitter rotator can also be implemented as two independent structures to perform their respective functions). These demultiplexers separate and convert light into N different modes and two different polarization states (TE and TM).

[0041] The mode demultiplexer converts all the second optical branches containing N different modes into N third optical branches of the same mode, for example, converts them into N third optical branches of the same first-order mode. The polarization separation rotator separates the light contained in each third optical branch that is converted from the TE polarization state into a different TM polarization state during optical fiber transmission from the light in the TE polarization state, and converts the TM polarization state light back into the TE polarization state, so that each original third optical branch is split into two paths, represented by the third optical branch A and the third optical branch B. In this way, there are a total of 2N third optical branches after the split (N third optical branches A and N third optical branches B), and the third optical branch corresponding to the original third optical branch (i.e., the original third optical branch before being split into two paths) is split. The light originally in the TE polarization state (which is split into a third optical branch A that is a new first-order mode) and the light converted from the TM polarization state to the TE polarization state (which is split into another third optical branch B that is a new first-order mode) are arranged into a group, totaling N groups. Each of these groups passes through a second wavelength demultiplexer (thus, there are a total of 2N or N pairs of second wavelength demultiplexers). The M wavelengths of light contained in each of the third optical branch A with the original TE polarization state and the other third optical branch B with the light converted from the TM polarization state to the TE polarization state in the same group are mixed (light). The M second optical sub-branches are divided into M second optical sub-branches according to different M wavelengths, represented by second optical sub-branches C and second optical sub-branches D. Each of the M second optical sub-branches C and the M second optical sub-branches D contains light of a single wavelength. The wavelengths of the lights in the M second optical sub-branches C are different, and the wavelengths of the lights in the M second optical sub-branches D are different. The M second optical sub-branches C and the M second optical sub-branches D are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence with each other according to the same wavelength, thereby forming M second optical sub-branches pairs, that is, each pair of second optical sub-branches (including a second optical sub-branch C and a second optical sub-branch with a wavelength of The two single-wavelength lights (one originally in the TE polarization state, the other converted from the TM polarization state to the TE polarization state) in the same second sub-optical branch D) have the same wavelength, and the two lights of the same wavelength in each second sub-optical branch pair enter the upper and lower ends of the same detector (i.e., the opposite ends of the light absorption region of the same detector) and are thereby combined and demodulated into high-speed electrical signals. This effectively avoids detector saturation or damage under high-intensity incident light conditions, while reducing channel distortion caused by polarization mode dispersion (PMD). Furthermore, this also has the beneficial effects of increasing communication rate and channel density, reducing power consumption, and improving latency. Thus, M×N detectors are required.

[0042] In the optical input and output chip architecture of the embodiment of Figure 2, both mode division multiplexing (MDM) and wavelength division multiplexing technologies are used. A total of M×N modulators and M×N detectors are provided. If the modulation rate of each modulator or detector is K Gbit / s, the total communication bandwidth is M×N×K Gbit / s. It can be seen that the above embodiment of the present invention increases the communication rate by N times compared to the solution that only uses wavelength division multiplexing, that is, mode division multiplexing provides another dimension to expand the communication bandwidth. Therefore, the present invention further increases and expands the bandwidth of the optical input and output chip, and also has the advantages of high channel density, low power consumption, and low latency. It can also be seen that when using both mode division multiplexing and wavelength division multiplexing technologies, the present invention also has the advantage of being compatible with existing wavelength division multiplexing solutions.

[0043] Implementation forms of the above modulators include but are not limited to Mach-Zehnder interferometer modulators, Michelson interferometer modulators, directional coupler modulators, germanium / silicon absorption modulators, micro-ring modulators, micro-disk modulators, photonic crystal modulators, Bragg grating modulators, etc.

[0044] Some modulators have inherent wavelength selection capabilities (e.g., micro-ring modulators, micro-disk modulators, photonic crystal modulators, Bragg grating modulators, etc.). Therefore, when these modulators are used, the WDM mux and WDM demux can be omitted from the optical input / output chip architecture shown in FIG2 . When the present invention utilizes a method of splitting mixed light of multiple wavelengths emitted by a single light source to obtain multiple single-wavelength lights, and is used in conjunction with a micro-ring modulator, micro-disk modulator, photonic crystal modulator, or Bragg grating modulator, the inherent wavelength selection capabilities of these modulators can be utilized. Not only can the WDM mux and WDM demux be omitted, but because all wavelength spacings are inherently consistent and drift with temperature is also the same, the wavelength locking and feedback control methods of these modulators are simplified.

[0045] As shown in FIG3 , as another architecture, when the modulator utilizes a microring modulator, microdisk modulator, photonic crystal modulator, or Bragg grating modulator, such as the microring modulator shown, these modulators function as both high-speed modulators and first-wavelength demultiplexers and wavelength division multiplexers at the transmitter end, thereby eliminating the need for first-wavelength demultiplexers and wavelength division multiplexers. Furthermore, at the receiver end, these modulators, such as microring modulators, microdisk modulators, photonic crystal modulators, or Bragg grating modulators, can function as second-wavelength demultiplexers. For example, the microring modulator shown functions as the second-wavelength demultiplexer, separating different wavelengths and transmitting these wavelengths to various detectors, thereby eliminating the need for a WDM demultiplexer. This architecture eliminates the need for both WDM muxes and demultiplexers, saving space on the chip. Furthermore, the small size of these modulators facilitates chip miniaturization and high bandwidth density. For other aspects of this architecture, please refer to the above description of the embodiment shown in FIG2 and will not be elaborated upon.

[0046] In some embodiments, the above architecture can be further simplified to a solution containing only wavelength division multiplexing or mode division multiplexing as needed.

[0047] Refer to Figure 4. It is a structural form that only contains wavelength division multiplexing, that is, N=1. At this time, the optical input and output chip will not need to be equipped with a splitter, a mode division multiplexer, and a mode demultiplexer. In addition, the multimode optical fiber can also be replaced with a single-mode optical fiber. Under this architecture, the light output by the light source is directly input into the only first wavelength division multiplexer, and after being output by the only wavelength division multiplexer, it is transmitted through the output end of the output sub-chip via a single-mode optical fiber to the input end of the input sub-chip provided on another optical input and output chip (or the same optical input and output chip), and directly enters the polarization separation rotator. For other aspects of this architecture, please refer to the above description of the embodiment of Figure 2 for understanding, and no further details will be given.

[0048] See Figure 5 . Furthermore, when the modulator in the embodiment of Figure 4 also employs a microring modulator, microdisk modulator, photonic crystal modulator, or Bragg grating modulator, such as the microring modulator shown in the figure, these modulators can also be multiplexed into a first wavelength division multiplexer and a wavelength division multiplexer. Furthermore, a second wavelength division multiplexer can also be formed using a microring modulator, microdisk modulator, photonic crystal modulator, or Bragg grating modulator, such as the microring modulator shown in the figure used as the second wavelength division multiplexer. This saves space on the chip, facilitating chip miniaturization and high bandwidth density.

[0049] Refer to Figure 6. This is a structure that only includes mode division multiplexing, that is, M = 1. In this case, the optical input and output chip does not need to set up a first wavelength demultiplexer, a wavelength division multiplexer, and a second wavelength demultiplexer, and the light source only needs to provide one wavelength. In this architecture, the N first optical branches separated by the optical splitter are directly modulated by a modulator and then directly enter the mode division multiplexer for mode conversion. For example, it is converted into a first-order mode light, a second-order mode light, and so on, until it reaches an N-order mode light, forming a second optical branch containing N different modes. The N third optical branches generated after transmission through the multimode fiber to the mode demultiplexer and polarization splitter rotator are all first-order mode light and can be carried by N waveguides. Within each of the N third optical branches, the two third optical branches (third optical branch A and third optical branch B) each carry only one TE polarization state light of the same wavelength (one is the original TE polarization state light, the other is the light converted from TM polarization to TE polarization). These two TE polarization state lights of the same wavelength directly enter the two ends of a corresponding detector. Therefore, only N detectors are required for the N third optical branches.

[0050] Refer to Figure 7. In actual applications, the signal emitted by the transmitter of one chip is usually received by the receiver of another chip, thereby realizing the interconnection between different chips, that is, the output sub-chip and the input sub-chip are respectively arranged on two different optical input and output chips (for ease of understanding, one of the optical input and output chips on the right of the figure is drawn in an inverted state). The above embodiments of Figures 2 to 6 reflect the application scenario shown in Figure 7. However, it can be understood that the same chip can also be used in a self-transmitting and self-receiving manner, that is, the output sub-chip and the input sub-chip are arranged on the same optical input and output chip, as shown in Figure 8.

[0051] In some embodiments, the output sub-chip and the input sub-chip may be connected by optical waveguides or photonic wire bonding in addition to being connected by optical fibers.

[0052] In some embodiments, the first optical branch to the third optical branch, the first sub-optical branch and the second sub-optical branch are formed on a waveguide, that is, the waveguide is used as the carrier of these optical paths, and an optical path connected by a waveguide is formed between the light source, the optical splitter, the first wavelength demultiplexer, the modulator, the wavelength division multiplexer, the mode division multiplexer and the output end of the output sub-chip of the transmitter part, and an optical path connected by a waveguide is formed between the input end of the input sub-chip of the receiver part, the demultiplexer, the polarization separation rotator, the second wavelength demultiplexer and the detector.

[0053] In some embodiments, the aforementioned light source capable of providing light of multiple wavelengths can be implemented by packaging together multiple sub-light sources of different wavelengths. Alternatively, it can be a light source formed by a single light source generating light of different wavelengths (e.g., a Kerr frequency comb light source). Furthermore, the light source can be integrated within the optical input / output chip, or it can be externally located and optically coupled to deliver light to the optical input / output chip.

[0054] In some embodiments, the implementation forms of the above-mentioned splitter include but are not limited to Y-shaped branches, trident-shaped branches, multimode interference couplers, directional couplers, adiabatic couplers, bent couplers, photonic crystal splitters, subwavelength splitters, etc.

[0055] In some embodiments, the first wavelength division multiplexer, wavelength division multiplexer, and second wavelength division multiplexer described above may be implemented in the form of, but not limited to, arrayed waveguide gratings, Echelle gratings, cascaded Mach-Zehnder interferometers, cascaded microrings, cascaded Mach-Zehnder interferometers and microrings, and Fabry-Perot interferometers. Furthermore, the first wavelength division multiplexer, wavelength division multiplexer, and second wavelength division multiplexer may be either passive or adjustable.

[0056] In some embodiments, the implementation forms of the above-mentioned mode division multiplexer or mode demultiplexer include but are not limited to multimode interference couplers, multimode adiabatic couplers, curved couplers / reverse couplers, multi-waveguide coupling structures, irregular multimode structures, grating structures, photonic crystal structures, and subwavelength structures.

[0057] In some embodiments, the implementation of the polarization separation rotator includes but is not limited to a double-layer wedge structure, a dual-material structure, a curved structure, a multi-mode interference structure, an adiabatic structure, and the like.

[0058] In some embodiments, the aforementioned mode demultiplexer and polarization splitting rotator can be integrated into a single structure to implement their respective functions, as shown in Figures 2 and 3. Alternatively, the aforementioned mode demultiplexer and polarization splitting rotator can be implemented as two independent structures to implement their respective functions.

[0059] In some embodiments, the detectors described above can be formed based on a variety of operating principles, such as PIN diodes, metal-semiconductor-metal photodetectors, and avalanche photodiodes. These diode junctions can be oriented either horizontally or vertically. Furthermore, these diode junctions can be fabricated into complex shapes, such as L-shaped and U-shaped.

[0060] The multimode optical fibers mentioned above include, but are not limited to, conventional multimode optical fibers, rectangular core multimode optical fibers, polygonal core multimode optical fibers, polarization-maintaining optical fibers, graded-index optical fibers, multi-core optical fibers, hollow-core optical fibers, photonic crystal optical fibers, and the like.

[0061] The following further describes a distributed computing system of the present invention in detail through specific implementation methods and in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0062] A distributed computing system of the present invention includes the above-mentioned optical input and output chip.

[0063] Refer to Figure 9. Taking the application of the optical input and output chip of the present invention in a distributed computing system architecture as an example, the distributed computing system includes a computing resource pool, a flash memory resource pool, and a storage resource pool disposed on a substrate (eg, a silicon interposer).

[0064] Among them, the computing resource pool includes multiple computing units arranged in a first array; each computing unit includes an external first light source (Laser source, abbreviated as LS), a first photonic integrated circuit chip (Photonics integrated Circuit, abbreviated as PIC), a traditional first electronic integrated circuit chip (Electronic integrated Circuit, abbreviated as EIC) (including a driver, a transimpedance amplifier (TIA), etc.) and a computing resource chip (XPU, such as CPUs, GPUs, FPGAs, ASICs, etc.).

[0065] The flash memory resource pool includes a plurality of flash memory units arranged in a second array; each flash memory unit includes a second light source (LS), a second photonic integrated circuit chip (PIC), a second electronic integrated circuit chip (EIC) and a flash memory resource chip (Memory).

[0066] The storage resource pool includes multiple storage units arranged in a third array; each storage unit includes a third light source (LS), a third photonic integrated circuit chip (PIC), a third electronic integrated circuit chip (EIC) and a storage resource chip (SSD) (the positions of the light sources and the second electronic integrated circuit chips in the three arrays of the computing resource pool, the flash memory resource pool and the storage resource pool shown in Figure 8 correspond to each other, the positions of the first photonic integrated circuit chips, the second photonic integrated circuit chips and the third photonic integrated circuit chips correspond to each other, and the positions of the computing resource chip, the flash memory resource chip and the storage resource chip correspond to each other, but are not limited to this).

[0067] Optical input and output chips are respectively provided on the first to third photonic integrated circuit chips; the first photonic integrated circuit chip, the second photonic integrated circuit chip and the third photonic integrated circuit chip realize optical interconnection between the chips of computing units, flash memory units and storage units through optical fibers, waveguides or photonic wire bonds as optical transmission media connected between their respective optical input and output chips, thereby effectively improving interconnection bandwidth, increasing channel density, reducing power consumption and improving latency.

[0068] It is understood that the array in FIG9 is not limited to three rows; that is, there can be more computing resource pools, flash resource pools, and storage resource pools. Furthermore, the array in FIG9 is not limited to three columns; that is, the computing resource pools, flash resource pools, and storage resource pools are not limited to being arranged in a single column; multiple columns are also possible.

[0069] The integrated material platform on which the distributed computing system architecture is based includes but is not limited to silicon, silicon nitride, silicon dioxide, aluminum oxide, indium phosphide, lithium niobate, barium titanate, and polymers. The waveguide types include but are not limited to channel waveguides, ridge waveguides, slot waveguides, diffused waveguides, and photonic crystal waveguides. The operating wavelength range of the distributed computing system architecture includes but is not limited to the visible light band, O band, E band, S band, C band, L band, U band, and mid-infrared band. The application fields of the distributed computing system architecture include optical communications, optical interconnection, free-space optical communications, optical computing, optical switches, lidar, beam control, optical gyroscopes, optical sensing, optical storage, artificial intelligence, autonomous driving, smart cities, etc.

[0070] While the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations of these embodiments are possible. However, it should be understood that such modifications and variations are within the scope and spirit of the present invention as set forth in the claims. Furthermore, the invention described herein is susceptible to other embodiments and may be practiced or implemented in a variety of ways.

Claims

1. An optical input and output chip, characterized in that: include: An output sub-chip and an input sub-chip; The output sub-chip includes a first optical processing module, which is used to make the light with M wavelengths provided by the light source form N first optical branches, and adopt wavelength division multiplexing technology and mode division multiplexing technology to make the light in each first optical branch further form M first sub-optical branches according to M wavelengths, and modulate them one by one, and then make the modulated light of the N first optical branches form second optical branches with N different modes, and output them in the first polarization state to enter the optical transmission medium; wherein, M≧1, N≧1; The input sub-chip includes a second optical processing module, which is used to make the second optical branches containing the N different modes output by the output sub-chip and transmitted via the optical transmission medium form N third optical branches with the same mode, and to make the partial light in each third optical branch that is rotated from the first polarization state to a different second polarization state during the transmission process of the optical transmission medium be separated and then form the first polarization state again, and the remaining light of the first polarization state that has not been rotated in the original third optical branch be merged one-to-one for demodulation after being differentiated according to M wavelengths to form M second sub-optical branches.

2. The optical input-output chip according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first optical processing module includes an optical splitter, a first wavelength division multiplexer, a modulator, a wavelength division multiplexer and a mode division multiplexer. The optical splitter is used to divide the mixed light containing M wavelengths output by the same light source into the N first optical branches. The M wavelengths of light in each first optical branch are divided into the M first sub-optical branches by one of the first wavelength division multiplexers. The single wavelength light in each first sub-optical branch is loaded with a high-speed electrical signal through one of the modulators, that is, modulated. Then, the M modulated single wavelength lights are combined into one path through one of the wavelength division multiplexers. Finally, the N first optical branches are divided into the M first sub-optical branches. The light is combined into one path through a mode division multiplexer. During this process, the mode division multiplexer converts the light in the N first light branches into the second light branches containing the N different modes. Finally, these M wavelengths and N different modes of light loaded with high-speed electrical signals are transmitted to the input end of the input sub-chip in the first polarization state through a multimode optical fiber as an optical transmission medium at the output end of the output sub-chip. The light in the first polarization state transmitted in the multimode optical fiber is rotated. When it is transmitted to the input end, part of the light will present the first polarization state, and the other part of the light will present the second polarization state; the second optical processing module The invention comprises a mode demultiplexer and a polarization separation rotator, a second wavelength demultiplexer and a detector, wherein the light of N different modes containing a first polarization state and a second polarization state inputted from the input end is converted into N third optical branches of the same mode through a mode demultiplexer and a polarization separation rotator, and the light of the second polarization state in each third optical branch is separated from the light of the first polarization state, and then converted into the first polarization state, so that each third optical branch is separated into two paths, a third optical branch A and a third optical branch B, wherein the third optical branch A is the light originally in the first polarization state, and the third optical branch B is The light converted from the second polarization state to the first polarization state is arranged into a group of a third optical branch A and a third optical branch B corresponding to each third optical branch, N groups in total. The third optical branch A and the third optical branch B of each group are respectively passed through one of the second wavelength demultiplexers, and the M wavelengths of light contained in each of the third optical branch A and the third optical branch B of each group are further divided into M second sub-optical branches, and M second sub-optical branch pairs arranged in one-to-one correspondence with the same wavelength are formed, and two lights of the same wavelength in each second sub-optical branch pair enter the opposite ends of the same detector, are merged together, and are demodulated into high-speed electrical signals.

3. The optical input-output chip according to claim 2, characterized in that: When the modulator is a micro-ring modulator, a micro-disk modulator, a photonic crystal modulator or a Bragg grating modulator, the modulator is also multiplexed into a first wavelength division multiplexer and a wavelength division multiplexer; and / or, the second wavelength division multiplexer is formed by a micro-ring modulator, a micro-disk modulator, a photonic crystal modulator or a Bragg grating modulator.

4. The optical input-output chip according to claim 2, characterized in that: When N=1, another implementation method is: the optical splitter, the mode division multiplexer and the mode demultiplexer are not set, and the multimode optical fiber is replaced by a single-mode optical fiber, the light output by the light source is directly input into the only one of the first wavelength division multiplexers, and after being output by the only one of the wavelength division multiplexers, it is transmitted through the output end of the output sub-chip via the single-mode optical fiber to the input end of the input sub-chip located on another optical input-output chip or the same optical input-output chip, and directly enters the polarization separation rotator.

5. The optical input-output chip according to claim 2, characterized in that: When M=1, another implementation method is: the first wavelength division multiplexer, the wavelength division multiplexer and the second wavelength division multiplexer are not set, and the N first optical branches separated by the optical splitter are directly modulated by one of the modulators and then directly enter the mode division multiplexer for mode conversion, and the only two lights of the first polarization state with the same wavelength in each group of third optical branches formed by conversion by the mode division multiplexer and the polarization separation rotator directly enter the opposite ends of a corresponding detector.

6. The optical input-output chip according to claim 1, characterized in that: The output sub-chip and the input sub-chip are arranged on the same optical input-output chip, or the output sub-chip and the input sub-chip are separately arranged on two different optical input-output chips; and / or the output sub-chip and the input sub-chip are connected by optical fiber, optical waveguide or photon wire bonding as an optical transmission medium; and / or the first optical branch to the third optical branch, the first sub-optical branch and the second sub-optical branch are formed on a waveguide.

7. The optical input-output chip according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first polarization state includes a TE polarization state, the second polarization state includes a TM polarization state; and / or the N different modes include from a first-order mode to an N-order mode, and the second optical processing module enables the second optical branch containing the N different modes output by the output sub-chip to form a third optical branch of N first-order modes.

8. The optical input-output chip according to claim 2, characterized in that: The light source is formed by packaging together a plurality of sub-light sources providing light of different wavelengths, or the light source is formed by a same light source generating light of different wavelengths; and / or the light source is disposed on the optical input-output chip, or is externally disposed outside the optical input-output chip and transmits light into the optical input-output chip by optical coupling; And / or, the modulator includes a Mach-Zehnder interferometer modulator, a Michelson interferometer modulator, a directional coupler modulator, a germanium / silicon absorption modulator, a micro-ring modulator, a micro-disk modulator, a photonic crystal modulator or a Bragg grating modulator; and / or, the optical splitter includes a Y-shaped branch, a trident-shaped branch, a multimode interference coupler, a directional coupler, an adiabatic coupler, a bent coupler, a photonic crystal splitter or a sub-wavelength splitter; and / or, the first wavelength division multiplexer, the wavelength division multiplexer or the second wavelength division multiplexer includes an arrayed waveguide grating, an echelon grating, a cascaded Mach-Zehnder interferometer, a cascaded micro-ring, a cascaded Mach-Zehnder interferometer and a micro-ring or a Fabry-Perot interferometer. interferometer; and / or, the mode division multiplexer or the mode demultiplexer includes a multimode interference coupler, a multimode adiabatic coupler, a bent coupler, a reverse coupler, a multi-waveguide coupling structure, an irregular multimode structure, a grating structure, a photonic crystal structure or a subwavelength structure; and / or, the polarization separation rotator includes a double-layer wedge structure, a dual-material structure, a bent structure, a multimode interference structure or an adiabatic structure; and / or, the detector includes a PIN diode, a metal-semiconductor-metal photodetector or an avalanche photodiode; and / or, the mode demultiplexer and the polarization separation rotator realize their respective functions as two independent structures, or are integrated in the same structure to realize their respective functions.

9. A distributed computing system, characterized in that: Contains the optical input-output chip according to claim 1.

10. The distributed computing system according to claim 9, characterized in that: The distributed computing system includes a computing resource pool, a flash memory resource pool and a storage resource pool arranged on a substrate, the computing resource pool includes a plurality of computing units arranged in a first array, each of the computing units includes a first light source, a first photonic integrated circuit chip, a first electronic integrated circuit chip and a computing resource chip, the flash memory resource pool includes a plurality of flash memory units arranged in a second array, each of the flash memory units includes a second light source, a second photonic integrated circuit chip, a second electronic integrated circuit chip and a flash memory resource chip, the storage resource pool includes a plurality of storage units arranged in a third array, each of the storage units includes a third light source, a third photonic integrated circuit chip, a third electronic integrated circuit chip and a storage resource chip; the optical input-output chips are respectively arranged on the first photonic integrated circuit chip to the third photonic integrated circuit chip; the first photonic integrated circuit chip, the second photonic integrated circuit chip and the third photonic integrated circuit chip are connected between the respective optical input-output chips through optical fibers, optical waveguides or photonic wire bonding as optical transmission media to achieve optical interconnection between the computing units, the flash memory units and the storage units.

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