Improvement in bit-error rate for optoelectronic multicomputer interconnection networks using cyclic redundancy code error detection

Abstract

This letter presents testing results of an integrated optoelectronic (OE) channel employing hop-by-hop error control circuitry based on cyclic redundancy codes (CRC) to improve the effective bit-error rate (BER). The use of OE interconnect in place of wires in multicomputer networks becomes more attractive as channel bandwidth and power efficiency are increased. But these improvements must be accomplished while maintaining an acceptable channel BER. Test results of an integrated OE channel incorporating CRC-based error control circuitry demonstrate a BER reduction of two orders of magnitude while incurring a 20% bandwidth overhead. This may lead to higher bandwidth and higher efficiency OE interconnects.