Direct Optical Wire Termination for Bandwidth Scaling

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current optical data links face challenges in achieving high bandwidth while maintaining energy efficiency, a small device footprint, and low cost, particularly due to limitations in emitter modulation, raw bit-error-rate, and the complexity and cost of wavelength multiplexing architectures.

Innovation Solution

The development of optical fiber multiplexing systems that use directly printed optical wires to multiplex optical fibers within a smaller footprint, eliminating the need for complex mechanical-optical interfaces and allowing for closer integration within photonic integrated circuit systems.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) is used to increase optical link data rates, then bandwidth is improved, but device complexity and cost increase due to mechanical-optical interfaces

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoptical link data rateVSAvoidmechanical-optical interface complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces mechanical-optical interfaces with direct optical fiber termination to optical wires. Instead of using mechanical components like micro-lenses and wavelength filters in a mechanical-optical interface, the invention directly couples optical fibers to optical wires that are electrically connected to emitter arrays, eliminating the mechanical interface and its associated complexity while maintaining wavelength division multiplexing capabilities

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts and removes the mechanical-optical interface component from the system. By taking out the mechanical-optical interface (including its wavelength filters and micro-lenses) and replacing it with direct optical fiber termination, the invention simplifies the overall system architecture while preserving the bandwidth enhancement benefits of WDM

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Productivity

If mechanical-optical interfaces with wavelength filters and micro lenses are used, then wavelength multiplexing is achieved, but package profile and footprint increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewavelength multiplexing capabilityVSAvoidpackage footprint

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent transitions from a planar mechanical-optical interface architecture to a three-dimensional direct termination architecture. Optical fibers are directly terminated to optical wires in a compact vertical arrangement, eliminating the need for lateral spatial expansion required by mechanical-optical interfaces with multiple lenses and filters, thus reducing package footprint while maintaining wavelength multiplexing

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Productivity

If more optical fibers are added in parallel to increase bandwidth, then data rate is improved, but shoreline bandwidth density does not increase due to fiber diameter limitations

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovebandwidthVSAvoidshoreline bandwidth density

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSArea of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple optical fibers with multiple optical wires through direct termination, allowing multiple wavelengths to be multiplexed onto fewer fibers. This consolidation approach increases bandwidth while improving shoreline bandwidth density by reducing the total fiber count and optimizing the use of available fiber capacity through wavelength division multiplexing

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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 enables increased bandwidth density, reduced costs, and improved energy efficiency by simplifying the optical fiber termination and allowing for more compact and cost-effective optical data link designs.

Implementation Method 1

an optical wire spanning a distance between a first end coupled to an optical device and a second end coupled to a portion of an end face of an optical fiber core

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectTotal internal reflection: Total Internal Reflection

Data Source

PatentUS20250147233A1Optical transceiver bandwidth scaling through direct optical wire fiber termination

Publication Date: 2025.05.08 INTEL CORP

AI summary

A wavelength multiplexing optical fiber transmitter, receiver, or transceiver where multiple emitters and/or photodetectors of different center wavelengths are coupled to a single optical fiber core terminus through multiple waveguides, which may be directly printed in free space. The optical assemblies described are suitable for optical data link applications, for example, to reduce a number of optical fibers needed for a given bandwidth or increase the bandwidth of a give number of optical fibers. Bidirectional fiber termination may also be implemented with an emitter and a photodetector pair coupled to a single optical fiber core terminus through multiple waveguides.