Modular Optical Interconnect Assemblies for Backplane and Switching Applications

9632981科斯图克网络交换和多处理器背板对互连的日益增长的需求迫使人们考虑先进的电气和非电气解决方案，如光学互连。位宽总线点对点连接距离为0.5m(即Cray T-90)，其电底板的数据传输速率为500 MHz。光纤可以通过在长距离传输上提供更高的带宽来提高此类系统的性能，并支持需要扇出和扇入的体系结构。另一个重要的性能考虑因素是系统成本。Cray电子背板价格昂贵，因为它需要非传统的电子开关元件和封装方法。如果光学被证明是有用的，其设备和包装的成本必须低于电子替代品。许多研究小组一直致力于开发光学互连结构和光电子器件。然而，微光互连系统和降低成本的制造方法还不是很成熟。这一建议的目的是通过为两个重要的互连应用实现光互连模块来促进微光学系统的发展：1)背板网络，2)多级交换系统。这两个系统都利用自由空间微衍射光学元件，在保持可接受的对准公差的同时，在短连接距离上增加布线功能。用于背板应用的自由空间光学模块在垂直腔面发射激光器(VCSEL)阵列和长距离光纤分配网络之间提供了高效的并行接口。这允许背板从机器内扩展到机器间级别以用于并行处理任务。用于多级开关系统的光学模块适用于与VCSEL和CMOS种子调制器智能像素阵列系统的接口。提出的自由空间光学组件消除了对偏振光学的要求，降低了早期光学系统设计的复杂性，提高了光学传输效率。这应该会增加这些系统可以运行的带宽。除了设计和制造这些光学接口模块外，我们还计划与唐纳利公司合作，将他们的注塑技术应用于复制光学元件和封装支架。这应该会进一步降低实施这些系统的成本。我们还计划与科罗拉多大学合作，将我们用于多级交换系统的光纤模块整合到他们的智能背板架构中。***

9632981 Kostuk The increasing demands on interconnects for network switching and multiprocessor backplanes is forcing consideration of advanced electrical and nonelectrical solutions, such as optical interconnects. Electrical backplanes have been demonstrated at data rates of 500 MHz for 64 bit wide buses with point-to-point connections over distances of 0.5 m (i.e. Cray T-90). Optics can increase the performance of such systems by providing higher bandwidths over long transmission distances, and support architectures requiring fanout and fanin. Another important performance consideration is system cost. The Cray electrical backplane is expensive because it requires non-conventional electronic switching elements and packaging methods. If optics is to prove useful, the cost of its devices and packaging must be lower than electrical alternatives. Many research groups have concentrated on developing optical interconnect architectures and optoelectronic devices. However, micro optic interconnect systems and cost reducing fabrication methods are not very well developed. The purpose of this proposal is to advance the state of micro optic system development by implementing optical interconnect modules for two important interconnect applications: 1) backplane networks, and 2) multistage switching systems. Both systems utilize free-space micro diffractive optic components to increase routing functionality over short connection distances while maintaining acceptable alignment tolerances. The free-space optics module for the backplane application provides an efficient parallel interface between vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) arrays and a long distance fiber distribution network. This allows the backplane to extend from the intra machine to inter machine levels for parallel processing tasks. The optics modules for multistage switching systems are suitable for interfacing to both VCSEL and CMOS-SEED modulator smart pixel array systems. The proposed free-space op tics modules reduce the complexity of earlier optical system designs by eliminating the requirement for polarization optics and increases the optical transfer efficiency. This should increase the bandwidth at which these systems can operate. In addition to designing and fabricating these optical interface modules we are planning to work with Donnelly Corporation to apply their injection molding techniques to replicate the optical components and packaging mounts. This should further reduce the cost of implementing these systems. A collaboration with the University of Colorado is also planned to incorporate our optics module for the multistage switching system in their intelligent backplane architecture. ***