title: Multiscale free-space optical interconnects for intrachip global communication: motivation, analysis, and experimental validation.
abstract: The use of optical interconnects for communication between points on a microchip is motivated by system-level interconnect modeling showing the saturation of metal wire capacity at the global layer. Free-space optical solutions are analyzed for intrachip communication at the global layer. A multiscale solution comprising microlenses, etched compound slope microprisms, and a curved mirror is shown to outperform a single-scale alternative. Microprisms are designed and fabricated and inserted into an optical setup apparatus to experimentally validate the concept. The multiscale free-space system is shown to have the potential to provide the bandwidth density and configuration flexibility required for global communication in future generations of microchips.
authors.affiliation: Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark 19711, USA. michael.j.mcfadden@aero.org
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: McFadden
authors.forename: Muzammil
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Iqbal
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dillon
authors.forename: Rohit
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nair
authors.forename: Tian
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gu
authors.forename: Dennis W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Prather
authors.forename: Michael W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Haney