Optical Coupling Device for Waveguide Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
The disparity between on-chip and off-chip communication bandwidths in electronic devices, such as integrated circuit chips, creates a bottleneck due to mode mismatch issues between on-chip waveguides and off-chip optical fibers, limiting high-speed communication and requiring improved coupling techniques that allow for both high bandwidth and two-dimensional array formation on chip surfaces.
Innovation Solution
An optical coupling device, such as an optical resonator or imaging device, is used to align and couple optical waveguides on two electronic devices by positioning it within pits etched into the substrates, enabling efficient optical proximity communication and alignment control, allowing for high bandwidth communication across integrated circuit chips without the need for opto-electronic conversion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If optical fiber to waveguide coupling is performed at the edge of the chip using tapered waveguides, then coupling efficiency is improved, but two-dimensional array formation and wafer-scale testing are prevented
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from one-dimensional edge coupling to two-dimensional surface coupling by positioning optical coupling devices at multiple locations across the chip surface. This allows waveguides to be coupled at various points throughout the chip area rather than being constrained to edge locations, enabling two-dimensional array formation and wafer-scale optical testing.
2Productivity
If high-speed serial transceivers are used to increase off-chip data rate, then communication bandwidth is improved, but topological limits and parasitic RC limits prevent further bandwidth increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces electrical signal transmission through parasitic-limited interconnects with optical signal transmission through waveguides. By converting electrical signals to optical signals for off-chip communication, the system avoids the parasitic RC effects and topological limits that constrain electrical transmission, enabling higher bandwidth communication.
3Productivity
If optical signals are transmitted through sub-micrometer waveguides on chip, then on-chip communication bandwidth is improved, but mode mismatch with optical fiber prevents efficient off-chip coupling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces optical coupling devices as intermediary components between the sub-micrometer waveguides and optical fibers. These coupling devices serve as mediators that bridge the mode size mismatch by coupling light from the small waveguide mode to the larger optical fiber mode, enabling efficient power transfer despite the dimensional discrepancy.
4Reliability
If gratings are used to couple optical signals into waveguides, then coupling loss is reduced, but wavelength bandwidth is narrowed and polarization sensitivity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs different optical coupling device configurations at different locations on the chip to optimize for specific requirements. Some coupling devices are designed for broadband operation while others are optimized for specific wavelength ranges, and the system can accommodate both polarized and non-polarized applications, providing local optimization across the entire system.
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 seamless optical communication across a tiled array of chips, avoiding latency from opto-electronic conversions and allowing for precise alignment and high bandwidth communication, supporting multi-wavelength transmission and polarization insensitivity.
Implementation Method 1
an optical coupling device that optically couples an optical waveguide on the first electronic device to an optical waveguide on the second electronic device
Data Source
AI summary
An assembly comprising first and second electronic devices and an optical coupling device that optically couples an optical waveguide on the first electronic device to an optical waveguide on the second electronic device. In this way, optical proximity communication between the devices is possible. The electronic devices may be integrated circuit chips. The first optical waveguide is positioned relative to the optical coupling device to direct an optical signal to the optical coupling device. Further, the second optical waveguide is positioned relative to the optical coupling device to receive the optical signal, which is directed from the optical coupling device to the second optical waveguide. Thus, the optical coupling device optically couples the first optical waveguide to the second optical waveguide.