Technology for an adapitve optical bus-coupling on three-dimensional structures

关于快速增长的设备通信（流行语：物联网，工业4.0），对快速高效的数据链路有很高的需求。因此，数据速率增加，将标准电气连接推向极限。特别是考虑到带宽能量效率和所需空间，光学短程连接是一种有前途的替代方案。然而，有必要找到在三维环境中实现光学总线系统的解决方案。在第一个资助期内，开发了非对称光学总线耦合器（AOBC）的方法，并证明其可用于光学数据通信场景。AOBC实现了2D中的双向、无中断总线耦合。在第二个资助期，最初的目标是丰富定向总线耦合领域的现有知识水平。据此，应理解耦合过程期间的效果，特别是使用印刷聚合物波导。这包括压力下的折射率变化，由于微观粗糙度和耦合伙伴表面的选择性结构而导致的更高的耦合率。利用这些研究结果，本论文的目的是研究将光电器件耦合到三维表面上的光总线的解决方案。在这种情况下，无论器件连接表面的曲率如何，都要获得稳定的耦合效率。同时，必须实现耦合技术的SMT兼容性，以便能够使用成熟的安装技术（例如倒装芯片）。据此，光学技术的竞争力将比其电子挂件更强。

Regarding the rapidly increasing device communication (buzzword: internet of things, industry 4.0) there is a high demand for fast and high-efficient data links. Due to that, the data rates increase which pushes standard electrical connections to their limits. Especially regarding the bandwidth-energy-efficiency and the required space, optical short range connections are a promising alternative. However, it is necessary to find solutions for the realization of optical bus-systems in three-dimensional environments. During the first funding period the approach of an asymmetric optical bus-coupler (AOBC) was developed and proofed for the use in optical data communication scenarios. The AOBC enables for a bidirectional, interruption-free bus-coupling in 2D. In the second funding period, the initial goal is the enrichment of the current level of knowledge in the field of the directional bus-coupling. According to that, the effects during the coupling process shall be understood, especially with the use of printed polymer waveguides. That includes index changing under pressure, higher coupling rates due to a micro roughness and a selective structuring of the surfaces of the coupling partners. With the results of these studies, the intension is to investigate solutions to couple electro-optical devices to an optical bus on a three-dimensional surface. In this context, robust coupling efficiencies are to be obtained regardless the curvature of the surface the device is connected on. At the same time it is essential to achieve SMT-compatibility of the coupling technology to be able to use matured mounting technologies (e.g. Flip-Chip). According to that, the competitiveness of optical technologies shall be increased compared to their electrical pendants.