Abstract: Optical interconnects have potential advantage over electrical methods at the backplane level. In this paper we present a free-space optical connection cube for backplane interconnect applications. The connection cube has a symmetric structure which reduces skew between boards. It can be expanded into a 3-dimensional configuration for parallel communication using vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) and receiver arrays. Fan-out and fan-in of propagation beams for the connection cube are realized using volume holographic optical elements formed in dichromated gelatin (DCG) emulsion. A four-port communication system has been demonstrated using the connection cube and tested at 500 MHz. In this paper, advantages and detailed implementation of the free-space optical connection cube are presented. Design considerations for fan-out/in holographic gratings and alignment tolerances for the connection cube are discussed. Characteristics of the connection cube are also presented. !36
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