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Photolithography-free polymer optical waveguide arrays for optical backplane bus
Xinyuan Dou1, Alan X Wang, Xiaohui Lin
1Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, the University of Texas at Austin, TX 78758, USA.
Optics Express
|September 22, 2011
Summary
This study demonstrates a novel optical bus architecture using polymer waveguides and micro-mirrors. This low-cost, high-speed system enables efficient data broadcasting for advanced optical backplanes.
Area of Science:
- Photonics and Optical Engineering
- Materials Science
Background:
- Traditional point-to-point optical waveguides face limitations in high-speed data broadcasting.
- Developing cost-effective, high-performance optical interconnects is crucial for advanced computing systems.
Purpose of the Study:
- To demonstrate an innovative 3-to-3 bi-directional optical bus architecture.
- To showcase a low-cost fabrication method for optical waveguide devices.
Main Methods:
- Utilized multimode polymer waveguides with embedded 45° micro-mirrors.
- Employed a lithography-free imprinting process with electroplated metallic molds for precise replication.
- Achieved high-speed data transmission at 10 Gbit/sec.
Main Results:
- Successfully demonstrated a functional 3-to-3 bi-directional optical bus architecture.
- Achieved precise replication of the optical bus device with low fabrication cost.
- The optical bus structure effectively broadcasted and received high-speed data.
Conclusions:
- The demonstrated optical bus architecture offers a superior alternative to point-to-point waveguides for multi-point communication.
- The low-cost, high-performance optical backplane is suitable for high-speed data transmission needs.
