Optical Interconnect Bridges for Extended-Temperature Photonic Packages
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrical interconnects in semiconductor dies consume high power, have pin count limitations, and are inefficient for data transfer, especially in AI computing hardware where memory is centrally located, leading to increased latency and power consumption.
Innovation Solution
Implementing optical multi-die interconnect bridges (OMIBs) with temperature-stabilized modulators that bridge semiconductor dies, allowing photonic data transfer directly to the central memory region, reducing electrical pipeline stages and power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If electrical interconnects are used to transfer data between semiconductor dies, then data transfer can be achieved, but power consumption is high and latency is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces electrical interconnects with optical interconnects using photonic integrated circuits. Light-based data transmission substitutes for electron-based electrical signals, enabling faster data transfer rates and reduced power consumption by eliminating resistive heating in metal interconnects. The optical modulators convert electrical signals to optical signals for transmission through waveguides between dies.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces photonic integrated circuits as intermediary components between semiconductor dies. These PICs contain optical modulators, waveguides, and photodetectors that mediate data transfer by converting electrical signals to optical signals and back, enabling efficient data communication while reducing the power and latency issues of direct electrical interconnects.
2Productivity
If electrical interconnects with many pins are used to increase bandwidth, then data transfer capacity improves, but pin count limitations and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces physical electrical pins with optical waveguide interfaces. Multiple data channels are transmitted through integrated optical waveguides within the photonic circuit, eliminating the need for numerous physical pins. This substitution enables high-bandwidth data transfer while significantly reducing mechanical complexity and pin count requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges multiple data communication functions into a single integrated photonic circuit. Multiple optical waveguides carry parallel data streams through a unified optical interface, consolidating what would require multiple separate electrical pin connections into an integrated optical subsystem, thereby reducing overall device complexity.
3Productivity
If memory is centrally located in AI computing hardware to improve access efficiency, then compute efficiency improves, but latency and power consumption increase due to longer electrical signal paths
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces slow electrical signal transmission with fast optical signal transmission for data paths between central memory and compute units. Optical signals travel faster and with less attenuation than electrical signals over longer distances, enabling efficient centralized memory architecture without the latency penalty that would otherwise accompany extended electrical interconnect paths.
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
OMIBs provide faster data transfer with reduced power consumption and improved latency by carrying data photonically to the point of compute, enabling efficient AI system operation.
Implementation Method 1
a modulator (MOD 1721, 1741, 1761, 1781) with a first modulator input
Implementation Method 2
a photodetector (PD 1722, 1742, 1762, 1782) with a second photodetector output
Data Source
AI summary
A package comprises a photonic integrated circuit (PIC) with a modulator having a first modulator input, and a PIC interconnect region within two millimeters or fifty microns from the modulator. Additionally, an electric integrated circuit (EIC) is included with a driver circuit and an EIC interconnect region within two millimeters or fifty microns from the driver circuit. The driver circuit is electrically connected to the first modulator input via the EIC interconnect region, a first metal interconnect, and the PIC interconnect region. The modulator receives a temperature-dependent bias voltage, where the temperature dependence of the bias voltage inversely matches the temperature dependence of the modulator across an extended temperature range.