Clock distribution network
US6125217A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 26, 1998 |
| Grant date | Sep 26, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 26, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02B6/4249
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A method and an apparatus for providing an optical clock distribution network. In one embodiment, an optical source is configured to emit optical pulses at a desired clock frequency. The optical pulses are separated into a plurality of split optical pulses, each of which is received by a clock receiver node in a semiconductor die. In one embodiment, each clock receiver node locally generates a photocurrent in response to the split optical beams. Each of the photocurrents is locally converted into voltage and thus into local clock signals, which are used to clock the local area of the integrated circuit. In one embodiment, the semiconductor die includes an additional clock receiver node used to clock a clock generation circuit included in the semiconductor die. The clock generation circuit generates clock signals that are in phase with each other and the other clock signals generated throughout the semiconductor die. In one embodiment, the clock signals generated by the clock generation circuit are used to clock and phase lock input/output communications on the semiconductor die as well as off chip input/output communications between the semiconductor die and other external semicond…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.