# US 12,181,724 B2 · Apparatus and methods for optical interconnects > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,181,724 B2 - Document ID: US12181724B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/334,338 - Filed: 2021-05-28 - Published: 2022-12-01 - Granted: 2024-12-31 - Earliest claimed: 2021-05-28 - Assignees: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd. - Applicants: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Stefan Rusu; Wei-Wei Song; Mohammed Rabiul Islam; Chih-Tsung Shih - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12181724B2 ## CPC - G02B 6/43: Arrangements comprising a plurality of opto-electronic elements and associated optical interconnections - G02B 6/13: Integrated optical circuits characterised by the manufacturing method - G02B 6/4204: {the coupling comprising intermediate optical elements, e.g. lenses, holograms (encapsulated active devices H01S5/02208)} - G02B 6/4214: {the intermediate optical element having redirecting reflective means, e.g. mirrors, prisms for deflecting the radiation from horizontal to down- or upward direction toward a device (G02B6/4246 takes precedence)} - G02B 6/4219: {Mechanical fixtures for holding or positioning the elements relative to each other in the couplings; Alignment methods for the elements, e.g. measuring or observing methods especially used therefor} - G02B 6/428: {containing printed circuit boards [PCB]} - H10H 20/856: Reflecting means - H10H 20/858: Means for heat extraction or cooling - G02B 6/4269: {with heat sinks or radiation fins} - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS - H10H: INORGANIC LIGHT-EMITTING SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES HAVING POTENTIAL BARRIERS ## Abstract Disclosed are apparatus and methods for optical interconnections that include the integration of a photonics die (pDie) and an electronic die (eDie) with a socket layer, waveguides and fiber connectors to enable high bandwidth communications. In one embodiment, an exemplary optical interconnect device includes an electronic die coupled to a photonics die and integrated with a substrate, a socket, a board, a pair of micro-lenses and a mirror coupled to a waveguide, which can be embedded in the board. In another embodiment, the waveguide is embedded in a socket layer and coupled to a fiber connector. In these embodiments, the exemplary optical interface device can be coupled one more other optical interconnect devices via a waveguide array and/or a fiber array. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus comprising: a substrate; an electronic die; a photonics die, wherein a first portion of the electronic die is disposed on top of the photonics die and a second portion of the electronic die disposed on top of the substrate, wherein the photonics die is positioned between the first portion of the electronic die and the substrate and is configured to generate a light signal; a socket disposed beneath the substrate; a board disposed beneath the socket; at least one waveguide formed in the board; at least one first micro-lens formed beneath the photonics die and extending from a bottom surface of the photonics die into a first hole formed in the substrate; at least one second micro-lens formed on a top surface of the board and disposed below a bottom surface of the socket, wherein the at least one first micro-lens and the at least one second micro-lens are optically coupled via the first hole formed in the substrate and a second hole formed in the socket, wherein the first hole and the second hole are vertically aligned; and at least one mirror formed below the top surface of the board and optically aligned to the at least one second micro-lens and optically aligned to the at least one waveguide, wherein the at least one first micro-lens is optically coupled to the at least one second micro-lens, which in turn is optically coupled to the at least one mirror, which in turn is optically coupled to the at least one waveguide, respectively. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a heat spreader disposed on top of the first portion of the electronic die and the second portion of the electronic die, and attached to the substrate. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one first micro-lens is fabricated on a substrate of silicon on insulator (SOI) or silicon (Si). ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first hole and the second hole are filled with at least one organic material that is transparent for a selected wavelength of the light signal generated by the photonics die. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one mirror is installed below the top surface of the board by forming a hole in the board, then placing and gluing the at least one mirror to the board within the hole. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one mirror is positioned at a 45 degree angle relative to the light signal received from the at least one second micro-lens and the at least one embedded waveguide. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one mirror is fabricated with metal-coated silicon. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the photonics die is configured to generate the light signal based on an input from the electronic die, wherein the light signal is transmitted through the at least one first micro-lens and the at least one second micro-lens, and then reflected via the at least one mirror to the at least one waveguide. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one fiber connector coupled to the at least one embedded waveguide. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one waveguide comprises a plurality of waveguides to form a waveguide array. ### Claim 11 An apparatus comprising: a first optical interconnect structure; a second optical interconnect structure; and a fiber array that optically couples the first optical interconnect structure to the second optical interconnect structure, wherein each of the first and second optical interconnect structures, comprises: a substrate; an electronic die; a photonics die, wherein a first portion of the electronic die is disposed on top of the photonics die and a second portion of the electronic die disposed on top of the substrate, wherein the photonics die is positioned between the first portion of the electronic die and the substrate; a socket disposed beneath the substrate; a board disposed beneath the socket; at least one waveguide formed in the board; at least one first micro-lens formed beneath the photonics die and extending from a bottom surface of the photonics die into a first hole formed in the substrate; at least one second micro-lens formed on a top surface of the board and disposed below a bottom surface of the socket, wherein the at least one first micro-lens and the at least one second micro-lens is optically coupled via the first hole formed in the substrate and a second hole formed in the socket, wherein the first hole and the second hole are vertically aligned; and at least one mirror installed formed below the top surface of the board and optically aligned to the at least one second micro-lens and optically aligned to the at least one waveguide. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, wherein each of the first and second optical interconnect structures further comprises at least one fiber connector coupled to the at least one waveguide, and wherein the at least on fiber is coupled to at least one fiber of the fiber array. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the at least one mirror is installed below the top surface of the board by forming a hole in the board, then placing and gluing the at least one mirror to the board within the hole. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the at least one first micro-lens and the at least one second micro-lens are polymer lenses. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the photonics die is configured to generate a light signal based on an input from the electronic die, wherein the light signal is coupled through the at least one first micro-lens and the at least one second micro-lens, and then the light signal is reflected via the at least one mirror to one of the at least one waveguide, and wherein the light signal is coupled through the at least one first micro-lens via a laser-on-chip, where lasing material is directly bonded and coupled to the photonics die. ### Claim 16 An apparatus comprising: a substrate; an electronic die; a photonics die disposed below the electronic die; a heat spreader above the electronic die and attached to the substrate; a socket disposed beneath the substrate; a board disposed beneath the socket; at least one waveguide formed in the board; at least one first micro-lens formed beneath the photonics die and extending from a bottom surface of the photonics die into a first hole formed in the substrate; at least one second micro-lens formed on a top surface of the board and disposed below a bottom surface of the socket, wherein the at least one first micro-lens and the at least one second micro-lens are optically coupled via the first hole formed in the substrate and a second hole formed in the socket, wherein the first hole and the second hole are vertically aligned; and at least one mirror formed below the top surface of the board and optically aligned to the at least one second micro-lens and optically aligned to the at least one waveguide, wherein the at least one first micro-lens is optically coupled to the at least one second micro-lens, which in turn is optically coupled to the at least one mirror, which in turn is optically coupled to the at least one waveguide, respectively. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the first hole and the second hole are filled with an organic material that is transparent for a selected wavelength of the light signal generated by the photonics die. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the at least one mirror is installed below the top surface of the board by forming a hole in the board, then placing and gluing the at least one mirror to the board within the hole. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the at least one mirror is positioned at a 45 degree angle relative to the light signal received from the at least one second micro-lens and the at least one embedded waveguide. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising at least one fiber connector coupled to the at least one embedded waveguide.