Optical Interconnects for High Performance Processors: Architectures, Circuits, and Devices

摘要本提案收到于纳米尺度科学与工程计划，NSF 02-148，类别NIRT。该项目涉及纳米级硅基光互连技术和相关设计方法的开发，以缓解未来CMOS芯片中的全球信号问题。该器件的研究主要集中在两个特定的构建块上，即硅激光器和硅调制器/开关。该激光器采用硅量子点作为增益介质。光抽运和电抽运两种激光结构都在研究中。调制器/开关由可调谐光子带隙结构制成，该结构由渗透有电活性材料（如液晶）的硅制成。此外，正在探索数据和控制级别的最佳信号，并开发解决方案，同时考虑到系统架构的结构特征以及电/光接口的阻抗和物理限制。在这个过程中，为了进行这项研究，一个跨越纳米级器件、集成电路和体系结构级别的集成建模环境正在被创建。人们正在开发自顶向下和自底向上的设计方法，以便将其潜在地整合到商业设计自动化工具中。为了在这个跨学科领域的广泛方面教育当前和未来的应用物理学家、电气工程师和计算机科学家，一些教育计划与这项研究（包括本科生设计项目、本科生暑期就业、研究生研究、参与多样性项目以及在主要会议和论坛上提供的教程）有着错综复杂的联系。

NIRT: Optical Interconnects for High-Performance Processors: Architectures, Circuits, and DevicesAbstractThis proposal was received in response to Nanoscale Science and Engineering initiative, NSF 02-148, category NIRT. This project involves the development of nanoscale-silicon-based optical interconnect technology and associated design methodologies to alleviate the global signaling problem in future CMOS chips. The device research focuses on two specific building blocks, namely a silicon laser and silicon modulators/switches. The laser is made using silicon quantum dots as the gain medium. Both optically pumped and electrically pumped laser structures are being investigated. The modulators/switches are made of tunable photonic bandgap structures made of silicon infiltrated with an electrically active material such as liquid crystals. In addition, optimal signaling at both the data and control levels is being explored, and solutions developed, while taking into consideration both the structural characteristics of the system architecture and the impedance and physical constraints of the electrical/optical interface. In the process, an integrated modeling environment spanning the nanoscale device, integrated circuit, and architecture levels is being created in order to conduct this research. Top-down and bottom-up design methodologies are being developed for potential incorporation into commercial design automation tools.Several educational initiatives are intricately linked with this research (including undergraduate design projects, summer employment of undergraduates, graduate student research, participation in diversity programs, and tutorials given at leading conferences and forums) in order to educate current and future applied physicists, electrical engineers, and computer scientists in the broad aspects of this interdisciplinary field.