Method and apparatus to facilitate direct surface cooling of a chip within a 3d stack of chips using optical interconnect

A chip stack, comprising:

• a first microchip having a first plurality of light emitting diodes formed at a surface thereof;
• a second microchip having a second plurality of light emitting diodes formed at a surface thereof, the second microchip arranged substantially aligned with the first microchip to form an aperture therebetween;
• a plurality of optical paths connecting the first plurality of light emitting diodes to a second plurality of light emitting diodes through the aperture to thereby provide surface-to-surface optical data communication between the first microchip and the second microchip, each of the plurality of optical paths defined by an alignment between one of the first plurality of light emitting diodes and a corresponding one of the second plurality of light emitting diodes;
• at least one metal interconnect connecting the first microchip to the second microchip, the at least one metal interconnects communicating power or ground between the first microchip and the second microchip;
• and
• wherein the aperture, the aperture is configured to receive incoming coolant at an aperture inlet and to exit coolant at an aperture outlet;
• wherein the all data communications between the first microchip and the second microchip is exclusively through surface-to-surface optical communication, and
• wherein the pitch distance between adjacent metal interconnects is about 400-500μ.