Method and apparatus for providing optical interconnection

An apparatus, comprising:

• a light source that generates a light beam;
• and
• an optical assembly that directs the light beam through a back side of an integrated circuit die onto an optical output device disposed within a semiconductor substrate of the integrated circuit die, the optical assembly further directing a light beam deflected from the optical output device onto an optical input device.

A method of providing an integrated circuit device, the method comprising the steps of:

• coupling an optical modulator to a first integrated circuit node on a first integrated circuit die;
• and
• coupling an optical demodulator to a second integrated circuit node, the optical modulator and demodulator to be optically coupled through the back side of the first integrated circuit die.

An optical bus, comprising:

• an optical unit that generates a plurality of light beams, each of the plurality of light beams corresponding to one bit line of the optical bus;
• and
• an optical assembly that directs each of the plurality of light beams through a back side of a first integrated circuit die onto a corresponding one of a first plurality of optical input/output devices disposed within a semiconductor substrate of the first integrated circuit die, the optical assembly further to direct each one of a plurality of deflected light beams deflected from the first plurality of optical input/output devices onto a corresponding one of a second plurality of optical input/output devices.

A method of providing an optical bus, the method comprising the steps of:

• directing a plurality of light beams through a back side of a semiconductor substrate of an integrated circuit die onto corresponding ones of a plurality of optical output devices disposed within the semiconductor substrate;
• deflecting the plurality of light beams from the plurality of optical output devices back through the back side of the semiconductor substrate to an optical assembly;
• deflecting the plurality of deflected light beams onto corresponding ones of a plurality of optical input devices.

A method of providing an optical bus, the method comprising the steps of:

• embedding a light source that generates a plurality of light beams within a back side of a semiconductor substrate of an integrated circuit die;
• embedding a first beam splitter/deflector within the back side of the semiconductor substrate to direct the plurality of light beams through the back side of the semiconductor substrate of the integrated circuit die onto corresponding first optical input devices disposed within the semiconductor substrate of the integrated circuit die.

A method of providing an optical bus, the method comprising the steps of:

• directing a plurality of light beams through a back side of a semiconductor substrate of an integrated circuit die onto corresponding first optical input/output devices disposed within the semiconductor substrate;
• and
• directing a plurality of light beams deflected from the optical input/output devices onto corresponding second optical input/output devices.