Optoelectronic multi-chip-module based on planar-integrated free-space optics

摘要

We present an architectural approach to overcome the interconnection problem of modern VLSI-circuits and demonstrate it experimentally in form of a multi-chip-module (MCM) in which four potoelectronic VLSI=cjhips communicate optically via a planar-integrated free-space optical system. The MCM implements a distributed parallel computing model and is compact and robust. The optical system has been integrated on the surfaces of a slab of quartz glass by means of lithogrpahic microfacrication techniques. The quartz substrate also serves as circuit board for the opto-electronic VLSI-chips. Our approach allows dense packaging (>100 per mm~2) of large numbers of optical interconnects.