US 6,661,943 B2 · Fiber-free optical interconnect system for chip-to-chip signaling

Abstract

Embodiments of an apparatus and method for optical chip-to-chip signaling via free-space are disclosed herein. In one representative embodiment of a fiber-free interconnect system in accordance with the teachings of the present invention, a plurality of microchips packages, each including a microchip coupled to a carrier, may be mounted to a surface of a substrate. Each of the plurality of microchip packages may also include at least one optoelectronic microchip coupled to the carrier, and including an optical source and/or an optical detector to generate or detect optical signals, respectively, to facilitate communication between microchips. Each of the plurality of microchip packages may be mounted to the substrate to optically couple the at least one optoelectronic microchip to a corresponding micro-electro mechanical system mirror array to reflect the optical signals to the optical detector, or from the optical source, respectively.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A system, comprising:

a first microchip package mounted to a substrate, the first microchip package including a first microchip electrically coupled to a surface of a first carrier, and a first optoelectronic microchip electrically coupled to the surface of the first carrier;
and
at least one second microchip package mounted to the substrate, the at least one second microchip package including a second microchip electrically coupled to a surface of a second carrier, and a second optoelectronic microchip electrically coupled to the surface of the second carrier,
the substrate including first and second micro-electro mechanical system (MEMS) mirror arrays optically coupled to the first and second optoelectronic microchips, respectively, the first and second MEMS mirror arrays positioned to reflect optical signals to enable signal communication between the first and second optoelectronic microchips via free-space.

1 more element

(Currently amended) A method, comprising:

communicating a first electronic signal from a first microchip to a first optoelectronic microchip, the first optoelectronic microchip electrically coupled to a surface of a first carrier and optically coupled to a first MEMS mirror array of a substrate, the first carrier mounted to the substrate;
generating a first optical signal in response to the first electronic signal in a direction to cause the first optical signal to reflect from the first MEMS mirror array and from a second MEMS mirror array sequentially, the substrate including the second MEMS mirror array;
detecting the first optical signal at a second optoelectronic microchip, the second optoelectronic microchip electrically coupled to a surface of a second carrier and optically coupled to the second MEMS mirror array, the second carrier mounted to the substrate;
and
communicating a second electronic signal from the second optoelectronic microchip to a second microchip in response to detection of the first optical signal.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Fiber-free optical interconnect system for chip-to-chip signaling

Life of this patent

Fiber-free optical interconnect system for chip-to-chip signaling

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims19