Elements of a hybrid interconnection theory

Area of Science:

• Electrical Engineering
• Optical Engineering
• Computer Architecture

Background:

• Hybrid systems leverage multiple interconnection technologies.
• Traditional systems often rely solely on electrical or optical methods.
• Integrating diverse interconnection media presents unique design challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a comprehensive analysis of hybrid systems using optical and electrical interconnections.
• To determine the optimal balance between optical and electrical components for enhanced system performance.
• To explore the performance gains achievable by allowing optical paths to deviate from a planar configuration.

Main Methods:

• Developed a theoretical framework for analyzing hybrid interconnection systems.
• Investigated the impact of interconnection media on system performance metrics.
• Optimized the mix of optical and normally conducting interconnections based on a defined figure-of-merit function.

Main Results:

• Optical interconnections offer limited benefits when confined to a plane.
• Allowing optical paths to exit the plane significantly enhances system performance.
• Increased performance in hybrid systems often correlates with higher power consumption and/or larger system size.

Conclusions:

• Hybrid systems integrating optical and electrical interconnections can achieve performance levels unattainable by single-medium systems.
• The strategic use of out-of-plane optical paths is crucial for maximizing performance gains.
• System designers must balance performance improvements with potential increases in power and size.