Surface-Mount Electro-Optical Module for High-Density Data Center Interconnects
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current pluggable optical modules in data centers face challenges with heat dissipation, power consumption, and density limitations, particularly as data center speeds increase, and existing solutions struggle to achieve high-density optical port implementations comparable to copper links on PCB faceplates.
Innovation Solution
The development of a surface-mount electro-optical module with a ceramic Ball Grid Array (BGA) package and a detachable optical fiber connector, featuring an array of semiconductor chips with photonic integrated circuits and optical ports aligned for high-density fiber interconnections, allowing for efficient heat dissipation and power management, and enabling densities comparable to copper links.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If pluggable optical modules are used to support high-speed fiber interconnects, then data center interconnect speeds can be increased, but the density of optical ports on the faceplate decreases compared to copper links
Solution Approach 1:
The optical module is segmented into two separate components: a surface-mount electro-optical package that mounts directly to the PCB, and a detachable fiber optic connector. This segmentation allows the optical functionality to be integrated at the board level while keeping the fiber connector separate, thereby increasing port density on the faceplate.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from traditional faceplate-mounted pluggable modules to surface-mount packaging that integrates directly with the PCB in another dimension. This allows optical ports to be distributed across the board rather than concentrated on the faceplate, achieving higher density.
2Speed
If pluggable optical modules are used for high-speed interconnects, then fiber-based high-speed links can be achieved, but heat dissipation becomes more challenging due to concentrated heat on the faceplate
Solution Approach 1:
By separating the electro-optical package from the fiber connector, the heat-generating components are distributed across multiple PCB mounting points rather than concentrated in a single faceplate location, improving thermal management.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat dissipation problem is solved by moving from two-dimensional faceplate mounting to three-dimensional PCB integration, allowing heat to be dissipated through the board structure and multiple attachment points.
3Speed
If pluggable optical modules are used, then optical fiber interconnects can be implemented, but the connection complexity increases compared to direct copper chip soldering
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the electro-optical package with the PCB using surface-mount technology, integrating optical functionality directly into the board structure. This reduces the number of separate components and simplifies the overall connection architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of bringing external connectors to the faceplate, the invention inverts the approach by integrating the optical package directly onto the PCB and bringing the fiber connector to the board level, thereby simplifying the connection path.
4Speed
If traditional pluggable modules are used, then optical fiber connections can be made, but power consumption increases due to the module architecture
Solution Approach 1:
By separating the electro-optical package from the fiber connector, the system eliminates unnecessary components and signal paths, reducing power consumption while maintaining high-speed functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the fiber connector functionality from the traditional pluggable module architecture, removing the intermediate module that consumes power, and integrating optical functionality directly at the PCB level.
Data Source
AI summary
An electro-optical module is provided in the form of a Ceramic Ball Grid Array (CBGA) optical package with a detachable fiber optic connector. The electro-optical module is surface mountable on a printed circuit boards (PCB) using standard electronics pick-and-place and reflow manufacturing technology. A module housing array of ultra-high-speed single mode fiber based optical transmit and/or receive devices provides for high density fiber interconnections and can be mounted directly on a PCB in close proximity to associated electronics. The resulting shorter electrical interconnects reduce losses and distortion of the high frequency electrical signals enabling lower power signals and lower error rates on the interfaces, for applications such as high-speed data center interconnects. Shorter electrical interconnects may also allow for simpler clock and data recovery circuits or, in some cases, complete elimination of some of these circuits.