Micro LED Optical Interconnect Arrays Without SERDES Bottlenecks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional semiconductor technologies face limitations in achieving high-throughput and low-power data transmission due to parasitic resistance, inductance, and capacitance issues in electrical interconnects, which restrict the integration density and data rates in high-performance computing systems.
Innovation Solution
The use of optical interconnects with arrays of micro LEDs coupled via multi-core fiber bundles to photodetectors, enabling low-power, high-speed data transmission with reduced parasitic effects and eliminating the need for serializer-deserializer (SERDES) components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If electrical interconnects are used to connect ICs in SiP architectures, then data transmission can be achieved, but parasitic resistance, inductance, and capacitance increase, limiting integration density and data rates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces electrical interconnects with optical interconnects using micro-LEDs and photodetectors. This substitution eliminates the parasitic electrical effects (resistance, inductance, capacitance) that limit data transmission rates, while enabling higher bandwidth and lower power consumption for inter-IC communication in SiP architectures
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces optical fibers as an intermediary medium to transmit data signals between micro-LEDs and photodetectors. This optical intermediary eliminates direct electrical contact between ICs, thereby removing parasitic electrical effects while maintaining high-speed data transmission capability
2Object-affected harmful factors
If chips are mounted very closely together to minimize parasitic effects, then parasitic resistance and inductance are reduced, but the number of ICs that can be integrated into SiP is limited by wiring density constraints
Solution Approach 1:
By replacing electrical interconnects with optical interconnects, the patent removes the wiring density constraints that limit integration density. Optical fibers can be routed more flexibly and densely than electrical traces, enabling higher numbers of ICs to be integrated into SiP architectures without suffering from electrical parasitic effects
3Speed
If data transmission speeds are increased in electrical interconnects, then bandwidth is improved, but parasitic effects worsen and additional power is consumed in SERDES for multiplexing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes optical interconnects for electrical interconnects to achieve high-speed data transmission without the parasitic effects that worsen at high speeds. Optical signals do not suffer from resistance, inductance, or capacitance, eliminating the need for SERDES multiplexing and reducing power consumption while maintaining high bandwidth
4Productivity
If traditional semiconductor technologies are used to meet increasing computing power demand, then computing performance is improved, but power consumption increases and physical limits are approached
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces electrical signal transmission with optical signal transmission in SiP architectures. This substitution reduces power consumption by eliminating resistive heating in electrical interconnects and removing the need for high-power SERDES multiplexing, while enabling higher computing throughput through increased bandwidth
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach allows for efficient, high-bandwidth data transmission with lower power consumption and increased integration density, supporting multi-Tbps speeds over short distances, thereby addressing the limitations of traditional electrical interconnects in high-performance computing applications.
Implementation Method 1
arrays of micro LEDs that are coupled via multi-core fiber bundles to photo detectors
Implementation Method 2
micro LEDs of the first array of micro LEDs are configured to emit the electromagnetic radiation at a first wavelength
Implementation Method 3
photo detectors
Data Source
AI summary
A system with optical interconnects includes first and second optical transceivers. The first optical transceiver includes a first array of micro light emitting diodes (LEDs) arranged on a first carrier substrate, a first array of photodetectors (PDs), and a first driver integrated circuit (IC). The second optical transceiver includes a second array of micro LEDs arranged on a second carrier substrate, a second array of PDs, and a second driver IC. The system also includes at least one multicore fiber cable arranged to optically couple the first array of micro LEDs with the second array of PDs and to optically couple the second array of micro LEDs with the first array of PDs.