Reconfigurable PIC Optical Routing for Block-Level Performance Testing
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing complexity of photonic integrated circuits (PICs) with multiple functional photonic blocks makes it difficult to deconvolute their overall performance, necessitating improved methods for determining the individual performance of these blocks to understand, check, and optimize the PIC's functionality.
Innovation Solution
A reconfigurable optical connection arrangement within the PIC allows for optically interconnecting photonic blocks via semiconductor-based waveguides and controllable optical switches, enabling separate performance determination of individual blocks and sets of blocks through various configurations, including loopback tests with on-chip or external laser units.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple functional photonic blocks are integrated into a single PIC to increase functionality and integration level, then the overall performance and versatility of the PIC is improved, but it becomes increasingly difficult to deconvolute and determine the individual performance of each photonic block
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the complex PIC into multiple independently testable photonic blocks. Each block can be individually accessed and tested through the reconfigurable optical connection arrangement, allowing performance deconvolution. The system segments the testing process by enabling isolation of specific blocks while maintaining the ability to test them in various combinations, thus resolving the measurement difficulty despite high integration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamics through the reconfigurable optical connection arrangement that can dynamically change connectivity between photonic blocks. This dynamic reconfiguration capability allows the testing system to adaptively connect and disconnect blocks during testing, enabling flexible performance determination of individual blocks and combinations, thereby solving the performance measurement problem in highly integrated systems.
2Area of stationary object
If photonic blocks are highly integrated on a single die to reduce size and improve compactness, then the PIC becomes more compact and integration density increases, but the ability to separately test and evaluate individual blocks becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The reconfigurable optical connection arrangement serves multiple functions: it enables normal operational connectivity between photonic blocks, provides test access to individual blocks, and allows various testing configurations. This multi-functionality resolves the contradiction by making the same optical infrastructure serve both compact integration and ease of testing purposes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary testing infrastructure consisting of optical switches and waveguides that mediates between the highly integrated photonic blocks and external testing equipment. This intermediary layer provides accessible test points without requiring physical separation of blocks, thus maintaining compactness while improving testing accessibility.
3Reliability
If complex PICs are deployed in telecommunication applications requiring detailed health checks, then system reliability and performance monitoring are improved, but the complexity of implementing comprehensive testing increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service by enabling the PIC to perform its own health checks and performance monitoring through integrated test capabilities. The reconfigurable optical connection arrangement allows blocks to test themselves and each other without requiring complex external testing infrastructure, thus improving reliability monitoring while reducing testing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where performance data from individual photonic blocks is collected and used to monitor overall system health. This feedback loop enables continuous reliability assessment through the reconfigurable testing infrastructure, improving system monitoring capability while keeping the testing complexity manageable through automated feedback collection.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a PIC (1) comprising a plurality of optically interconnectable functional photonic blocks (2a-2d) and a reconfigurable optical connection arrangement comprising a plurality of semiconductor-based optical waveguides (3a-3ah) and a plurality of controllable optical switches (4a-4c), at least one controllable optical switch being configurable to be in a first state allowing optical transmission or a second state preventing optical transmission. Depending on the respective first or second state of the at least one controllable optical switch, said optical connection arrangement is configured to enable at least a first set of semiconductor-based optical waveguides to provide at least one optical connection between at least two functional photonic blocks and/or a first optical access path to at least one functional photonic block. The invention also relates to an opto-electronic system (100) comprising said PIC and to a method (200) of improved determination of an overall performance of said PIC.