Stackable photonic interconnect module

US8998509B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Oracle International Corporation · US

Inventors

• Hiren D. Thacker · San Diego, US
• Xuezhe Zheng · San Diego, US
• Ashok V. Krishnamoorthy · San Diego, US
• Gary L. Gilbert · San Diego, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 14, 2013
• Grant date: Apr 7, 2015
• Expiry date: Oct 9, 2033

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G02B6/43
• WIPO field: Optics
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

An interconnect module for communicating electrical signals and optical signals is described. In particular, an integrated circuit in the interconnect module receives and transmits the electrical signals with other components in a system that includes the interconnect module via an electrical connector. In addition, the integrated circuit receives and transmits electrical signals to a hybrid silicon-photonic bridge chip that performs electrical-to-optical and optical-to-electrical conversion. In turn, this bridge chip receives and transmits optical signals via an optical fiber. The interconnect module can be remateably connected to a backplane in the system, and can be arranged in a stacked configuration with other instances of the interconnect module. In these ways, the interconnect module facilitates dense, modular or scalable, and compact electrical and optical communication in the system.