Optoelectronic Systems Based on InGaAs- Complementary-Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Smart-Pixel Arrays and Free-Space Optical Interconnects.
Free-space optical interconnects have been identified as a potentially important technology for future massively parallel-computing systems. The development of optoelectronic smart pixels based on InGaAs/AlGaAs multiple-quantum-well modulators and detectors flip-chip solder-bump bonded onto complementary-metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) circuits and the design and construction of an experimental processor in which the devices are linked by free-space optical interconnects are described. For demonstrating the capabilities of the technology, a parallel data-sorting system has been identified as an effective demonstrator. By use of Batcher's bitonic sorting algorithm and exploitation of a perfect-shuffle optical interconnection, the system has the potential to perform a full sort on 1024, 16-bit words in less than 16 mus. We describe the design, testing, and characterization of the smart-pixel devices and free-space optical components. InGaAs-CMOS smart-pixel, chip-to-chip communication has been demonstrated at 50 Mbits/s. It is shown that the initial system specifications can be met by the component technologies.
Walker
A C
AC
Yang
T Y
TY
Gourlay
J
J
Dines
J A
JA
Forbes
M G
MG
Prince
S M
SM
Baillie
D A
DA
Neilson
D T
DT
Williams
R
R
Wilkinson
L C
LC
Smith
G R
GR
Desmulliez
M P
MP
Buller
G S
GS
Taghizadeh
M R
MR
Waddie
A
A
Underwood
I
I
Stanley
C R
CR
Pottier
F
F
Vögele
B
B
Sibbett
W
W