Substrate Optical Waveguide Fanout for Edge-Coupled PIC Integration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing semiconductor packaging technologies face challenges in achieving high bandwidth and low latency communication between dies due to limitations in optical coupling and alignment of photonic integrated circuits (PICs) within semiconductor packages.
Innovation Solution
The use of optical waveguides formed within a substrate, such as glass or silicon, to optically couple photonic integrated circuits (PICs) with central processing units (CPUs) and other dies, enabling an optical fanout architecture that facilitates dense integration and reduces latency through passive alignment mechanisms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If optical waveguides are formed within a substrate to enable optical coupling between PICs and CPUs, then bandwidth exceeds one petabyte per second, but the complexity of forming and aligning these waveguides increases
Solution Approach 1:
The substrate acts as an intermediary medium that houses the optical waveguides, enabling optical coupling between PICs and CPUs. The waveguides are formed within the substrate material, which serves as both the structural platform and the optical transmission medium, simplifying the overall system architecture while achieving high bandwidth
Solution Approach 2:
The optical waveguides are pre-formed within the substrate before the final assembly and alignment steps. This preliminary formation of waveguides allows for simplified alignment processes, as the waveguide paths are already established in the substrate, reducing the complexity of subsequent alignment operations
2Loss of time
If optical waveguides are used to reduce latency by minimizing distances between PICs and CPUs, then latency is reduced, but the manufacturing precision requirements for waveguide formation and alignment increase
Solution Approach 1:
The substrate serves as a stable intermediary platform that provides mechanical support and precise positioning for the optical waveguides. By forming waveguides within the substrate rather than requiring separate alignment processes, the substrate eliminates the need for high-precision alignment operations while maintaining minimal distances for low latency
Solution Approach 2:
The waveguide formation process is merged with the substrate manufacturing process, where waveguides are formed directly within the substrate material. This integration eliminates separate alignment steps and reduces manufacturing precision requirements, as the waveguide positions are determined by the substrate fabrication rather than requiring additional alignment operations
3Productivity
If passive alignment mechanisms are used to facilitate dense integration of PICs, then integration density increases, but the control over alignment precision decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The substrate acts as a passive alignment intermediary that provides a stable reference framework for positioning PICs. The waveguides formed within the substrate serve as alignment references, enabling dense integration of multiple PICs while maintaining sufficient alignment precision through the substrate's structural stability
Solution Approach 2:
The passive alignment mechanism utilizes the substrate itself as the alignment reference, where the waveguide positions are self-determined by the substrate fabrication process. This self-aligning approach enables dense integration without requiring external active alignment control systems, as the substrate's manufacturing process inherently establishes precise relative positions
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 bandwidths exceeding one petabyte per second and reduces latency by minimizing distances between PICs and CPUs, allowing for efficient optical coupling and alignment within semiconductor packages.
Implementation Method 1
optical waveguides formed within a substrate to optically couple photonic integrated circuits (PICs) with central processing units (CPUs) and other dies
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments described herein may be related to apparatuses, processes, and techniques directed to dense integration of PICs in a substrate using an optical fanout structure that includes waveguides formed within a substrate to optically couple with the PICs at an edge of the substrate. One or more PICs may then be electrically with dies such as processor dies or memory dies. The one or more PICs may be located within a cavity in the substrate. The substrate may be made of glass or silicon. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.