Impact of Data Transmission over 10 Gbps on High-Density and Low-Cost Optoelectronic Module with Polynorbornene Waveguides

Abstract

We proposed a rigid/flex optoelectronic (O/E) module with 48-channel polymeric waveguides for short-distance board-level optical interconnection. A flexible O/E test module was fabricated in the following two steps by using standard packaging processes. First, two vertical cavity surface emitting laser diodes (VCSELs) and one VCSEL driver (VD) were flip-chip bonded to a completed flexible printed circuit board (PCB), and two photodiodes (PDs) and one transimpedance amplifier/limiting amplifier (TIA/LA) to another flexible PCB. Second, the two flexible PCBs were attached with a polynorbornene (PNB) sheet in which high-density PNB waveguides were formed by UV exposure. Active areas of VCSELs and PDs on the flexible PCBs were aligned to micromirrors of the waveguides with -6 µm offset toward the signal propagation direction. We successfully demonstrated data transmission over 10 Gbps and low inter-channel crosstalk of less than -20 dB was achieved in the flexible O/E test module with 120-mm-long and 62.5-µm-pitch waveguides.

Tiny VCSEL chip self-assembly for advanced chip-to-wafer 3D and hetero integration

“…3D and hetero system integration with various devices composed of different materials and die sizes requires optical devices for high-speed and low-power data transfer. We have previously prototyped opto-electronic 3D microsystem using 3D LSI and optical devices such as polymeric waveguides [12] [13], 45-degree mirrors [13] [14], photodetectors/laser diodes [14]- [16], a grating coupler [17] and photonic-TSVs [17]. These optical devices need precise alignment between optical axes.…”