Critical parameters for parallel interconnects using VCSEL arrays and fiber image guides

Abstract

Several thousand glass optical fibers fused together is routinely used as fiber image guides for medical and other image remoting applications. Fiber image guides also offer possibility for flexible optical interconnect links with potentially thousands of bi-directional parallel channels with data rates as high as 10 Gbps per channel, leading to more than Tera bits per second aggregate data transfer rates. A fair number of fiber image guide based link demonstrations using vertical cavity surface emitting lasers have been reported. However, little is known about designable parameters and optimization paradigms for applications to massively parallel optical interconnects. This paper discusses critical optical parameters that characterize a massively parallel link. Experimental characterizations were carried out to explore some of the fundamental interactions between single-mode 850 nm VCSELs and fiber image guides having different numerical apertures, 0.25, 0.55 and 1.00. Preliminary optical simulation results are given. Finally, potential directions for further experimental and analytical explorations, and for applicability into designable link systems are suggested.