Ultra-High-Capacity Optical Communications and Networking: Optoelectronic Integrated Packaging Technology for High Date Rate Optical Communications

University Of Minnesota-Twin Cities, Minneapolis MN

Investigators

Abstract

This proposal was submitted in response to the solicitation NSF 01-65 on "Ultra-High Capacity Optical Communications and Networking." Advanced data and telecom communication systems will require development and integration of diverse hardware technologies (e.g. fiber optics, integrated optics, electronics, and MEMs) to achieve reliable functionality and to satisfy large capacity and high data rate throughput. In the past, the best designs have shown great promise in the research lab, but have demonstrated degraded response once packaged. Optoelectronic device design is complex and has been simplified by de-coupling the electronic design from the optical aspect of design. At high data rates, unresolved electrical issues can result in significant optical response degradation. In the future both mechanical and electrical issues must be linked together in device and package design to offer an improved performance of packaged devices with reduced design cycle time and cost. Hence, successful development of high data rate systems above 50 Gbps will require development of approaches to offer transparent package integration in optoelectronic (OE) design. A key issue for high-speed optoelectronic design is development of optics-centered electronic design methods. Such co-design methods are now possible, given the current knowledge in high-speed electronic design. This research seeks to investigate the development of "co-design" methods for the design and integration of high speed electronic interconnects into device and optoelectronic packages. The impact of this research could provide revolutionary package design methods for photonic technology that could lead to the development of the first "integrated" optoelectronic package design techniques. Two objectives are sought during this research period. Objective 1 seeks to investigate the design of high speed electrical interconnects with high isolation for optoelectronic devices. Objective 2 seeks to investigate the development of co-design approaches for transparent optoelectronic package integration. Focusing on two topics - interconnects and packaging, we propose to investigate the use of silicon micromachining techniques as a vehicle for combining optical microbench packaging technology with high performance interconnect design to form novel high speed integrated packages. We will achieve our objectives by working on the following research problems: The first is an interconnect study for isolated and high-density designs used to package lasers into the silicon optical microbench technology. The second is a packaged traveling wave electrode study for use in optical modulator applications. The third is integration study for heterogeneous packaging of Si microbench technology in low temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) substrate boards to provide signal transfer between high frequency connectors and the silicon micro-bench. This research project will provide important experience and knowledge for training the next generation of high frequency engineers in co-design methods for optics with high data rate electronic interfaces.