Embedded Photonic Components for 100 Gbps Data Transport

This program will develop technology for integrating optical interconnections within high performance ASIC packaging. This technology should eliminate the power associated with driving signals outside of the package. The component must be capable of 336 Gbps data transmission over a -55 to 100 C temperature range with less than 1.3 Watt of power consumption. This innovation to fiber optic component technology increases the performance, reduces the size and reduces the power consumption of optical communications within dense network systems, such as advanced distributed computing systems and data centers. VCSEL technology is enabling short-reach ( & lt;100 m) 100 Gbps optical interconnections over multi-mode fiber in commercial applications. VCSEL technology offers low power consumption ( & lt; 10 mW/Gbps, un-cooled) and low cost data links. The placement of fiber optic components within the ASIC assembly reduces the board level complexity and power consumption associated with the routing high speed signals over copper traces. To achieve this package integration, the component must be compatible with lead-free solder reflow temperature extremes. Concepts to reduce power through automatic measurement of the operating conditions (optical link loss, electrical eye opening, etc.) will be investigated.Commercial Applications and Benefits: This technology will address the evolution of data transmission requirements, as the trend continues to implement optical components in close proximity to the data source/sink. The goal is to photonics to drastically increasing the transmission bandwidth available to high-performance ASICs. In the area of high-speed data transmission, the limitations of copper as a transmission media related to the absorption and dispersion of the energy in the printed circuit board (PCB) material are evident. Their limitations point towards fiber optics and the inherent speed and latency advantages of light in future design trends for ultra high-speed data transmissions. It is expected that optical transmission will be the definitive solution to certain PCB connectivity issues where it will become virtually impossible to route enough bandwidth at the box-to-box, backplane, circuit board and ultimately to the ASIC.