Multichip Shared Memory Module with Optical Interconnection for Parallel-Processor System

Abstract

A new multichip shared memory module with optical interconnection for a parallel-processor system was introduced. The new shared memory module mainly consists of shared memory units optically connected to one another through polyimide waveguides and electrically connected to processor elements. We designed and fabricated a static random access memory (SRAM) test chip which has an optical/electrical (O/E) receiver circuit and electrical/optical (E/O) transmitter circuit for optical data transfer. A vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser diode (VCSEL) was integrated onto an LSI chip by the beam-lead bonding technique. Optical data transfer was achieved using polyimide optical waveguides with Al micromirrors formed on a Si substrate called an optical plate, and the optical writing and electrical reading operation in the SRAM test chip was successfully demonstrated.