MicroLED Waveguide Packaging to Bypass Chip Interconnect Parasitics
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current electrical interconnects in multi-chip modules are limited by parasitic resistance, inductance, and capacitance, which restrict data flow and power consumption, especially in high-performance applications like machine learning, and cannot efficiently connect a large number of integrated circuits at high data rates.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of optical links using microLEDs, which reduce the need for serializer-deserializers and lower power consumption by converting electrical signals to optical signals through microLEDs and photodetectors, with waveguides enhancing light transmission efficiency and reducing parasitic effects.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If electrical interconnects are used to connect multiple chips in multi-chip modules, then data communication between chips is enabled, but parasitic resistance, inductance, and capacitance limit the data flow and increase power consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces electrical signal transmission through copper interconnects with optical signal transmission through waveguides. MicroLEDs convert electrical signals to optical signals, which then propagate through waveguides to photodetectors that convert them back to electrical signals. This substitution eliminates the parasitic resistance, inductance, and capacitance inherent in electrical interconnects, enabling higher data rates with lower power consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces waveguides as intermediary structures to facilitate optical signal transmission between chips. The waveguides provide a dedicated optical pathway that couples microLEDs on one chip to photodetectors on another chip, enabling efficient light transmission while isolating the electrical circuits from each other and eliminating electrical parasitics.
2Adaptability or versatility
If wiring density is increased to connect more ICs together, then the number of connectable ICs increases, but parasitic effects worsen and additional power is consumed in SERDES
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes optical waveguide interconnects for electrical wiring to eliminate parasitic effects. Each waveguide provides an isolated optical channel that does not suffer from electrical parasitics, allowing high-density interconnects without the worsening parasitic effects that plague electrical wiring solutions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from two-dimensional electrical wiring plans to three-dimensional optical interconnects using waveguides that can be routed through the substrate. This enables more flexible and dense routing configurations that can connect more ICs without increasing parasitic effects.
3Speed
If data communication speed per lane is increased to reduce the number of lanes, then data rate per lane improves, but parasitics become worse and additional power is consumed in SERDES
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces electrical signal transmission with optical signal transmission to eliminate parasitic effects that limit high-speed data communication. The optical waveguides provide lossless transmission paths that do not suffer from resistance, inductance, or capacitance, enabling extremely high data rates without the parasitic penalties that constrain electrical interconnects.
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 solution enables high data rates with lower power consumption and increased connectivity without parasitic circuit limitations, allowing for more efficient chip-to-chip communication in multi-chip modules, particularly in 2D and 3D formats.
Implementation Method 1
Some embodiments provide optical links between integrated circuits (ICs) using light from microLEDs
Implementation Method 2
a first photodetector; first amplification circuitry for amplifying signals from the first photodetector
Implementation Method 3
a first waveguide optically coupling the first microLED and the first photodetector, the encapsulated first microLED within material of the first waveguide
Data Source
AI summary
A microLED based optical chip-to-chip interconnect may optically couple chips in a variety of ways. The microLEDs may be positioned within a waveguide, and the interconnects may be arranged as direct connections, in bus topologies, or as repeaters.