Flip-Chip Optical Transceiver Package for High Data Rate

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Solution Overview

Problem

High-speed optical transceivers face limitations in scalability due to parasitic inductance introduced by wire bonding in chip-on-board packaging, which restricts data throughput beyond 25 Gbps/channel.

Innovation Solution

The integration of a driver IC with a photonics IC and a PCB using flip-chip bonding and interposers or chip carriers, reducing parasitic inductance through vertically stacked and horizontally tiled component configurations, and eliminating wire bonds to minimize inductive load.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If wire bonding is used in chip-on-board packaging, then cost effectiveness and ease of manufacture are improved, but parasitic inductance increases limiting data throughput scalability

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of manufactureVSAvoidparasitic inductance
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and removes the wire bonding interconnect structure from the packaging system. By eliminating the wire bonds entirely and replacing them with direct flip-chip bump bond connections between the driver IC and photonics IC, the source of parasitic inductance is removed while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through established flip-chip processes

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent substitutes the mechanical wire bonding system with an electrical direct-connect system using flip-chip bump bonds. This replacement transitions from a mechanical wire-based interconnect to a direct electrical connection through solder bumps, eliminating the inductive effects of wire loops while enabling higher data throughput

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Ease of manufacture

If wire bonding is used to connect driver IC to photonics IC, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but signal integrity deteriorates at high data rates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing simplicityVSAvoidsignal integrity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the driver IC and photonics IC into a tightly integrated flip-chip module with direct bump bond connections. By combining these components in close proximity with direct electrical interconnects, signal integrity is enhanced through reduced electromagnetic interference and minimized transmission path, while the integrated module can be manufactured as a unified assembly

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transitions from planar wire bonding connections to three-dimensional vertical stacking with flip-chip bump bonds. This dimensional change allows direct electrical connection through vertical solder bumps rather than horizontal wire routes, reducing signal path length and improving high-frequency signal integrity while maintaining manufacturing capability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Device complexity

If traditional wire bonding packaging is used, then packaging complexity remains low, but data throughput scalability is limited beyond 25 Gbps/channel

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepackaging complexityVSAvoiddata throughput
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the fundamental electrical parameters of the interconnect by replacing wire bonds with flip-chip bump bonds. This parameter change reduces parasitic inductance and resistance, enabling the packaging to support higher data rates beyond 25 Gbps/channel while the overall packaging structure remains relatively simple and manufacturable

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP3388876B1Integration of silicon photonics IC for high data rate
Publication Date: 2021.07.21 GOOGLE LLC
  • EP3388876B1 patent drawingFigure 1A~1B
  • EP3388876B1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2B
  • EP3388876B1 patent drawingFigure 3A~3B

AI summary

Signal integrity in high-speed applications is dependent on both the underlying device performance and electronic packaging methods. The maturity of chip-on-board (COB) packaging technology using wire bonding makes it a cost beneficial option for the mass production of high-speed optical transceivers. However, wire bonding introduces parasitic inductance associated with the length of the bond wires that limits the scalability of the system for higher data throughput. A high-speed optical transceiver package according to a first proposed configuration minimizes packaging related parasitic inductance by vertically integrating components using flip-chip bonding. A high-speed optical transceiver package according to a second proposed configuration minimizes packaging related parasitic inductance with horizontal tiling of components using a chip carrier and flip-chip bonding.