Examples

Chip-to-Chip Transmission System

  • Description

    An optical chip-to-chip transmission system [1] is represented in Figure 1. It uses a VCSEL as transmitter source and a polymer waveguide to guide the signal through the chip board. At the other side of the waveguide, the signal data is received at the photodetector. Such a simple structure could be scaled having several tens of parallel optical channels. Reflector elements are used to couple the light perpendicularly to the chip waveguide.

    hide

  • Typical Results

    The effects of increased temperature as dynamics of VCSEL thermal behavior and stress-induced birefringence can be analyzed (Figure 2). Dispersion in the waveguide might also distort the signal severely (Figure 3). Even though nearly zero polarization polymer waveguides can be designed for a certain wavelength [2], it can still be problematic because the transmission wavelength might shift due to temperature effects in the VCSEL. Additionally, possible Fabry-Perot resonances originated between the two reflectors might degrade the operation of the system, as shown in Figure 4.

    more

  • Further Information

    Keywords: Optical Channel, PIC, VCSEL, Polymer Waveguide, Optical planar waveguide components, Photonic Integrated Circuits, PICs

    Similar demonstrations are available in VPIComponentMaker Photonic Circuits and on the VPIphotonics Forum.

    [1] C. Schow, F. Doany, and J. Kash, "Get on the Optical Bus", IEEE Spectrum September 2010.
    [2] K.S. Chiang, S.Y. Cheng, H.P. Chan, Q. Liu, K.P. Lor, and C.K. Chow, "Realization of Polarization-Insensitive Optical Polymer Waveguide Devices", Int. Journal of Microwave and Optical Technology. Vol. 1, No. 2, August 2006.

    more

« back to other examples