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

对于快速增长的设备通信(流行语：物联网，行业4.0)，对快速高效的数据链路有很高的需求。由于这一点，数据速率增加，将标准电气连接推到了极限。特别是在带宽、能量效率和所需空间方面，光短距离连接是一种很有前途的选择。然而，如何在三维环境中实现光总线系统是必须解决的问题。在第一个供资期间，开发了一种非对称光总线耦合器(AOBC)的方法，并验证了其在光数据通信方案中的使用。AOBC支持2D模式下的双向、无中断的总线耦合。在第二个资助期，最初的目标是丰富定向母线耦合领域的现有知识水平。根据这一点，应该理解耦合过程中的影响，特别是在使用印刷聚合物波导的情况下。这包括压力下的折射率变化，由于微观粗糙度而导致的更高的耦合速率，以及耦合伙伴表面的选择性结构。根据这些研究的结果，其目的是研究将电光器件耦合到三维表面上的光学母线的解决方案。在这种情况下，无论设备连接在其上的表面的曲率如何，都要获得稳健的耦合效率。同时，为了能够使用成熟的安装技术(例如倒装芯片)，必须实现耦合技术的SMT兼容性。根据这一点，光学技术的竞争力应该比它们的电子吊灯更高。

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.