Multi-chip Optical Interconnects for Bandwidth and Footprint
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Solution Overview
Problem
Multi-chip switches face challenges in providing sufficient aggregate bandwidth, leading to complex and expensive interconnects, large footprints, and increased power consumption, with existing flow-control techniques either slowing down the switch or requiring additional resources to reduce latency.
Innovation Solution
The system employs an array of chip modules with semiconductor dies that communicate using capacitively coupled and optical proximity communication, enabling efficient data transfer and flow-control information management through electrical and optical paths, respectively, to reduce latency and power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If multiple-chip implementations are used to increase switching capacity, then the aggregate bandwidth can be increased, but the interconnect complexity and expense increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces electrical interconnects with optical waveguide interconnects between chips. Optical waveguides provide higher bandwidth and lower loss compared to traditional electrical interconnects, enabling multi-chip implementations to achieve sufficient aggregate bandwidth without requiring complex electrical cabling infrastructure between racks.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent integrates optical waveguides directly into the chip substrate, merging the optical interconnect functionality with the chip structure itself. This integration eliminates the need for separate external cabling and reduces the complexity of interconnections between multiple chips.
2Quantity of substance
If multiple racks with cabling are used to provide interconnects, then sufficient bandwidth can be accommodated, but the footprint and power consumption increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes optical waveguide interconnects for traditional electrical cabling between racks. Optical waveguides have lower attenuation and higher bandwidth capabilities, allowing for more compact interconnect designs that reduce the physical footprint required for housing multiple racks and their associated cabling infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from three-dimensional rack-and-cable architecture to a planar integrated optical waveguide architecture. By embedding waveguides within the chip substrate plane, the system achieves high bandwidth connectivity without requiring vertical stacking of multiple racks, thereby reducing the overall footprint.
3Loss of time
If flow-control techniques are used to reduce latency, then data delay can be reduced, but additional resources and power consumption are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses optical waveguides to pre-establish dedicated communication paths between chips before data transmission begins. This preliminary configuration of optical channels eliminates the need for dynamic flow-control signaling and intermediate buffering, allowing data to traverse the interconnect with minimal delay and without requiring additional power-consuming control circuits.
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 reduces latency and power consumption, enhances integration and reliability, and simplifies switch architecture by achieving high-bandwidth communication within a smaller footprint, effectively addressing the bandwidth and complexity issues in multi-chip switches.
Implementation Method 1
A given chip module includes a semiconductor die configured to communicate data signals with other chip modules by capacitively coupled proximity communication
Implementation Method 2
optical proximity communication using proximity connectors... the semiconductor die includes an optical signal path configured to communicate on-chip optical signals
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of a system are described. This system includes an array of single-chip modules (CMs), which includes a first CM and a second CM which are coupled to each other. A given CM, which can be either the first CM or the second CM, includes a semiconductor die that is configured to communicate data signals with other CMs by capacitively coupled proximity communication and optical proximity communication using proximity connectors. These proximity connectors are proximate to a surface of the semiconductor die, and the semiconductor die includes an optical signal path configured to communicate on-chip optical signals.