STTR Phase II: Fully Embedded Optical Interconnects based on Optical Bus Architecture for Large Size Printed Circuit Boards

该STTR二期研究项目旨在开发一种采用总线架构的商用板级光互连。印刷电路板上的传统铜缆链路不能提供足够的带宽用于10 Gbit/s以上的数据传输。光互连被广泛视为更高吞吐量的替代方案。然而，现有的与光子学相关的方法受到封装、可靠性和制造成本等问题的影响。在该项目中，欧米茄光学公司和德克萨斯大学奥斯汀分校寻求开发一种全嵌入式板级光学互连，以提高带宽，同时降低光电封装和设备可靠性的困难。第一阶段测试结果显示，在互连距离为51 cm的情况下，带宽为150 GHz。这种方法不是利用表面安装的光学部件，而是将光学层的制造与电气部件分离，并将其层叠在印刷电路板内，在印刷电路板之间通过层内通孔建立互连。这种完全嵌入的技术密封了所有的光学元件，并提供了与电层的无缝接口，从而消除了终端用户对外部光电子器件的担忧。通过这项研究寻求的铜缆链路方面的革命性突破将使整个计算机行业受益，并使带宽和互连距离继续发展。

This STTR Phase II research project is to develop a commercial board level optical interconnect using bus architecture. Conventional copper links on printed circuit boards fail to provide sufficient bandwidth for data transfer above 10 Gbit/sec. Optical interconnections are widely viewed as an alternative to higher throughput. However, existing photonics-related approaches suffer from issues of packaging, reliability and manufacturing cost. In this project, Omega Optics and the University of Texas at Austin seek to develop a fully embedded board level optical interconnect for enhanced bandwidth, while reducing the difficulties of optoelectronic packaging and device reliability. Phase I results demonstrated 150 GHz bandwidth with 51 cm interconnection distance. Instead of utilizing surface mounted optical components this approach separates the fabrication of the optical layer with the electrical parts and laminates it inside printed circuit boards, between which the interconnection is setup through in-layer vias. This fully embedded technology seals all the optical components and provides a seamless interface with electrical layers, therefore it eliminates the concerns of external optoelectronic devices for end users. The revolutionary breakthrough over copper links sought through this research would benefit the entire computer industry and enable the continued progression of bandwidth and interconnect distance.