SILICON PHOTONICS PLATFORM FOR 50G

OPTICAL INTERCONNECTS
MICHAL RAKOWSKI
IMEC, LEUVEN, BELGIUM

Photonics Summit and Workshop 2017

06 Sep 2017 - 07 Sep 2017, San Jose, CA, USA
OUTLINE

▪ Short-Reach Optical Interconnect Roadmap

▪ Cu-to-Optical Transition Roadmap
▪ 50G NRZ Silicon Photonics Platform
▪ Passive Devices
▪ Modulators
▪ Photodetectors
▪ Optical I/O module
▪ Transceiver Architectures and scalability
▪ TSV integration with Silicon photonics
▪ CMOS-SiPh Transceiver Demonstrators
▪ Conclusion

M. Rakowski Photonics Summit and Workshop 2017 2

 OPTICAL VS. COPPER INTERCONNECTS
1 Pbps 1cm
I/O Density
Backplane Intra-Datacenter Optical TRANSITION
100Tbps/mm Board-to-board
[0.5m-3m]
Rack-to-Rack
[5m-500m+] Inter-Datacenter
ROADMAP (IMEC)
[10km+]
10Tbps/mm
Optical Interconnects
Package/Chip
6.4T 6.4T 6.4T replacing Copper at
Logic Core-Core,
? 3.2T 3.2T 3.2T
increasingly Shorter Reach
1.6T 1.6T SMF 1.6T
Logic-DRAM 1Tbps/mm
1 Tbps [1mm-5cm]
800G 800G 800G
400G
200G
400G
200G
400G
200G
Datacenter [5m-10km+]
100Gbps/mm
100G 100G 100G 100G-400G-1.6T+
Link 50G
MMF 40G
bandwidth 10Gbps/mm
25G
10G 10G Backplane [0.5-3m]
2.5G 8-16-32+ x 50G-100G
1G
1 Gbps Board [5-50cm]
Source: LightCounting
200Gbps+/mm

Package [1cm-10cm]
Source: Intel
1Tbps+/mm
Board
1 Mbps Logic Package-to-Package
Interposer/Chip [1mm-2cm]
Copper Logic-DRAM array
[5cm-0.5m] 10Tbps+/mm
Source: LightCounting

Link distance
M. Rakowski Photonics Summit and Workshop 2017 3
OPTICAL I/O MODULE ROADMAP
NEED FOR WAVELENGTH DIVISION MULTIPLEXING
Host IC CMOS node 28-20nm 16/14nm iN10 iN7 iN5
Switch I/O Bandwidth 3.2Tb/s 6.4Tb/s 12.8Tb/s 25.6Tb/s 51.2Tb/s
Year of Introduction 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024

Optical I/O
100-200Gb/s 400Gb/s 800Gb/s 1.6Tb/s 3.2Tb/s
Module Bandwidth
Channel Data Rate 25Gb/s NRZ 50Gb/s NRZ 50Gb/s NRZ 50Gb/s NRZ 50Gb/s NRZ
50Gb/s PAM-4 100Gb/s PAM-4 100Gb/s PAM-4 100Gb/s PAM-4 100Gb/s PAM-4
Optical I/O Energy 10pJ/bit <5pJ/bit <2pJ/bit <1pJ/bit <500fJ/bit
WDM Channels
Duplex fiber, PAM-4 4 4 8 16 32
8x fiber (PSM-4), NRZ 1 2 4 8 16
16x fiber (PSM-8), NRZ 1 2 4 8

1. Unclear if future CMOS nodes will support baud rates beyond 50Gbd
2. PAM-4 acceptable for long links, but NRZ modulation preferred for short, latency sensitive links
 At 50Gb/s channel speed, Wavelength Division Multiplexing is essential for module scaling
• 8+ WDM-channels likely required, even if 2x 8-parallel fibers are used per module  DWDM

M. Rakowski Photonics Summit and Workshop 2017 4

SILICON PHOTONIC INTEGRATION
BENEFITS AND DRAWBACKS

Silicon PICs
 Fabrication in CMOS fabs [200mm/300mm]
 Large Si/SiO2 refractive index contrast of ~2 [scalable PIC density]
 Advanced Si patterning capability [193(i), nanometer scale accuracy]
 (Si)Ge epitaxy [photodetectors/modulators]
 Low resistance contacts to Si [high-speed optical devices]
 Volume scalability [>1M units/year] & Efficiencies of scale [cost]
 Wafer-scale 3-D packaging and assembly [TSVs, micro-bumps, ...]
 No monolithic integrated optical gain/lasing [need for hybrid solution]

Silicon Photonics = Leverage existing CMOS infrastructure for Photonic Integration

M. Rakowski Photonics Summit and Workshop 2017 5
IMEC’S SILICON PHOTONICS PLATFORM
50G SILICON PHOTONIC INTEGRATED CIRCUIT TECHNOLOGY
50Gb/s eye
50G Ge Photodetector diagram Surface-Normal Coupler Edge Coupler

56G Ge Electro-Absorption 56Gb/s eye

diagram
Modulator
8+1-channel DWDM (De-) Multiplexing Filter

56G Silicon Ring

Modulator 56Gb/s eye
diagram
56G Silicon Mach-Zehnder Modulator

 Co-integration of high performance 50G active and passive blocks in a single platform
 Implemented in 200mm SOI (90/130nm) and 300mm (<28nm)

M. Rakowski Photonics Summit and Workshop 2017 6

50G NRZ SILICON PHOTONICS PLATFORM
PASSIVE DEVICES
WAVEGUIDES
SUB-MICRON SOI WIRE WAVEGUIDES
Loss vs Bend Radius
10 mm
450nm

220nm

Si
SiO2
nSi~3.45
nSiO2~1.45

 High index-contrast Si waveguide technology enables

-1.84 ( photonic
compact 0.1) dB/cm
circuits (~µm bends)
 But, more sensitive to sidewall roughness (propagation
loss ~ 0.1-1dB/cm)

M. Rakowski Photonics Summit and Workshop 2017 8

FIBER COUPLING INTERFACES
SURFACE NORMAL GRATING COUPLERS
Peak Loss vs Bandwidth

Fiber Grating Couplers: <3dB insertion loss over 30nm optical bandwidth to
Standard Single Mode Fiber
M. Rakowski Photonics Summit and Workshop 2017 9
FIBER COUPLING INTERFACES
EDGE COUPLERS

 Broadband
 Relatively insensitive for polarization
 Smaller spot size complicate packaging
 Additional process steps and stack layers Si Oxy-Nitride Edge Couplers: <2dB insertion loss
over 100nm
 Wafer-scale testing not straightforward
to Specialty Fiber (3um Mode Field Diameter)
M. Rakowski Photonics Summit and Workshop 2017 10
SILICON WAVELENGTH MULTIPLEXING DEVICES
RING-BASED DWDM FILTERS
Input Waveguide 8x Cascaded Ring Filters

8x Drop Waveguides

Input Waveguide Spectral Response 8-Channel Filter

lres Ring
Waveguide

Drop Waveguide

Filter resonance condition

𝑚 ⋅ 𝜆𝑟𝑒𝑠 = 𝐿𝑅𝑇 ⋅ 𝑛𝑒𝑓𝑓
M. Rakowski Photonics Summit and Workshop 2017 11
SILICON WAVELENGTH MULTIPLEXING DEVICES
RING-BASED DWDM FILTERS
8+1-channel DWDM Demultiplexing Filter

 Polarization diversity scheme

 8 channel (de)MUX filter, using cascaded
ring filters
Transmission Spectrum  Double-ring filter design with flat-top
response
 ~3dB insertion loss, ~20dB crosstalk
 Collective, low-power thermal tuning

M. Rakowski Photonics Summit and Workshop 2017 12

50G NRZ SILICON PHOTONICS PLATFORM
SILICON MODULATORS
SIPH OPTICAL MODULATOR OPTIONS
Si Mach-Zehnder Modulator Si Ring Modulator Ge Si Electro-Absorption
Df(V) Modulator
2R Dl(V)
L
Df(-V) L
Vp
Transmission

IL
PIN P1
IL ER
P0
P1
ER Modulation ~ER
efficiency (pm/V)
P0 ~IL
Vpp Applied Voltage λr

 Optically broadband  Optically narrowband (<1nm)  Optical Bandwidth (<30nm)

 Thermally robust  Thermally sensitive (<1K)  Thermally insensitive (<30K)
 Large device (L~1mm)  Compact device (R~5mm)  Compact device (L~60mm)
 Large dynamic power  Low dynamic power (1Vpp)  Low dynamic power (2Vpp)
M. Rakowski Photonics Summit and Workshop 2017 14
 SILICON MACH-ZEHNDER MODULATOR
TRAVELING-WAVE MZM DESIGN AND PERFORMANCE Electro-optic
S21S21
@ 0V response
S21 @ 1V

g w g 0

Trench

Normalized S21[dB]
width -5
Ground Signal Ground
Waveguide
Body width
width -10
P+ PBODY P N NBODY N+
BOX
-15
Substrate
Phase
-20
shifter 0 10 20 30 40 50
Parameter Typ. Value Frequency [GHz]

Input
Output Operation Wavelength 1550nm
EO Bandwidth (S21) f3dB 27GHz (at -1V)
Optical Loss 8.2 dB/cm (at 0V)
Modulation efficiency V𝜋 11 V
PGSGSGP
Optical Insertion Loss IL -2dB (excludes bias-included loss)
Dynamic Extinction Ratio ER ~2.2dB (for 2.5Vpp single-ended drive) 50Gb/s Eye diagram with
50Gb/s Eye diagram with
2.5Vpp
Phase-Shifter Length L 1.5mm 2.5Vpp
Heaters

M. Rakowski Photonics Summit and Workshop 2017 15

SILICON RING MODULATOR 10mm

DESIGN SPECIFICATIONS
Transmission spectra
Tungsten Heater

IL (dB)
Pout (dBm)

ER for Light in Light out

1V (dB)

Modulation efficiency
(pm/V)

Heater Control RF Signal Ground

wavelength (nm)
Targeted Specifications
Ring radius 5 um
Quality Factor 2k-10k
Modulation Efficiency >50 pm/V
Modulation Bandwidth f3dB >40 GHz
Transmitter Penalty (@1Vpp) <6 dB Microscope
Heater efficiency >0.2 nm/mW Image

M. Rakowski Photonics Summit and Workshop 2017 16

 SILICON RING MODULATOR
TYPICAL PERFORMANCE
Electro-Optic Response (DC) ER, IL and TP Electro-Optic Response (RF) Thermo-Optic Response (DC)

Relative electro-optical S21 [dB]

25 5
-25
0
0
-30
Transmission [dBm]

Transmission [dBm]
20
-3 -5
-35

ER/IL/TP [dB]
-40 15 -6 -10

-45 -15
-2.0V -9 S11-measurement 0V
10 0.25 V
-50 -1.5V -20 0.5 V
Extinction ratio
-1.0V -12 1552.85 nm 0.75 V
Insertion loss
-55 -0.5V 1552.95 nm -25 1V
5 Tx penalty 1.25 V
0.0V -15 1553.05 nm
-60 1.5 V
1553.15 nm -30
0.5V 1.75 V
-65 0 -18 -35
1552.8 1553.0 1553.2 1553.4 1553.6 1553.8 1552.8 1553.0 1553.2 1553.4 1553.6 0 10 20 30 40 50 1550 1555 1560 1565
Wavelength [nm] Wavelength [nm] Frequency [GHz] Wavelength [nm]

Voltage
Heating
swing Modulation ER at min TP IL at min TP Min Transmitter *3dB BW
Q-factor efficiency
(-1V to efficiency (pm/V) (dB) (dB) Penalty (dB) (GHz)
(nm/mW)
0.5V)
3200 1.5 45 2.6 6.0 11 47 0.284
*Modulation bandwidth reported at wavelength with maximum S21 magnitude

50G Ring Modulator with Integrated Heater

M. Rakowski Photonics Summit and Workshop 2017 17

SILICON RING MODULATOR ELECTRICAL MODEL
MEASURED S11 VS. ELECTRICAL MODEL FITTING
Electrical equivalent circuit model
Real
Input
Port

Electrical S11
RSi RS S11-measurement
Cm Cj S11-measurement S11-fitting
COX S11-fitting

Cm: capacitance of metal pads Imag

COX, RSi: substrate capacitance and resistance
Cj, Rs: capacitance and resistance of RM
Frequency [GHz]

Fitted parameters
Bias Cj (fF) RS (Ohm) Cox (fF) RSi (Ohm) Cm (fF)

Fitted value 0V 24 68 49 1100 6.5

M. Rakowski Photonics Summit and Workshop 2017 18

SILICON RING MODULATOR BANDWIDTH VS. TRANSMITTER PENALTY
DETERMINED BY RESONANCE QUALITY FACTOR
Ring
Modulation Transmitter Penalty Measured f3dB
modulator Q-factor
efficiency (pm) for 1.5Vpp swing (dB) (GHz)
type f3db =
High-Q 9900 45.2 6.9 16.2 47GHz

Medium-Q 3500 61.8 10.1 35

Low-Q 2200 67.6 11 47

Modulation Bandwidth f3dB

1 1 1
2
 2
 2
f 3dB _ Q  1 / 2p r
f 3dB f 3dB _ RC f 3dB _ Q  r  lQ / 2pc
(cavity photon lifetime)

f 3dB _ RC  1 / 2pRC

Trade-off between Transmitter Penalty and Modulation

Bandwidth.

M. Rakowski Photonics Summit and Workshop 2017 19

SILICON RING MODULATOR 50-56GB/S NRZ EYE DIAGRAMS
56Gb/s, 1.5Vpp
Vbias= -0.25V, ER=4.1dB, SNR=5.2, 1544.67
 50/56G MUX, PRBS 2e31-1, laser power=10dBm
 Measured with 50Ohm terminated probe
 Oscilloscope optical module with 40GHz bandwidth
50Gb/s, 2.5Vpp 50Gb/s, 1Vpp
Vbias= 0V, ER=5.4dB, SNR=6.8 Vbias= 0V, ER=4.7dB, SNR=5.2

56Gb/s, 1Vpp
Vbias= 0V, ER=4.5dB, SNR=4.7, 1544.67

50-56Gb/s open eye diagrams from 1Vpp drive swing

M. Rakowski Photonics Summit and Workshop 2017 20

 GESI ELECTRO-ABSORPTION MODULATOR
WORKING PRINCIPLE & DESIGN
Device cross section, perpendicular to light propagation
Top view
Doping Profile Simulated E-field at 0V Simulated E-field at -2V
Cathode
N+ Si P+ Si
contact contact Light
n i p in
Ge(Si)
Si Light
out
Reverse bias p-i-n GeSi diode 11kV/cm at ON state 60kV/cm at OFF state
Anode
Optical absorption vs. wavelength and bias voltage

 Franz-Keldish effect: modulate optical absorption coefficient in

Ge(Si) by applied electric field
 Ultra-fast effect (~ps), RC limited
 Implemented by reverse-biased p-i-n diode in GeSi waveguide

M. Rakowski Photonics Summit and Workshop 2017 21

 GESI EAM STATIC MEASUREMENTS
TYPICAL EXTINCTION RATIO, INSERTION LOSS, TRANSMITTER PENALTY
Absirbtion vs wavelength Static modulator response spectrum Link Power Penalty (LPP) spectrum
GeSi – device (Si = 0.74%) (ER and IL) vs drive swing vs drive swing

Absorption coefficient increases with applied field ER = 5.3dB and IL =5.2dB 𝑷𝑶𝒖𝒕 𝟏 −𝑷𝑶𝒖𝒕 (𝟎)
Sub-picosecond effect (2Vpp swing at 1555nm) LPP = 𝟐 𝑷𝒊𝒏

Optimum operation point close to 1550nm for GeSi EAM (where ER=4.6dB, IL=4.2dB for 2Vpp)

M. Rakowski Photonics Summit and Workshop 2017 22

GESI EAM STATIC MEASUREMENTS
TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE

 Operation wavelength shifts with temperature to longer wavelength (0.82nm/K)

 GeSi EAM device is not temperature insensitive beyond ~30K variations

M. Rakowski Photonics Summit and Workshop 2017 23

GESI EAM DYNAMIC MEASUREMENTS Electrical S11 response
SMALL SIGNAL RF PERFORMANCE
Electro-Optic S21 response

 3dB bandwidth is beyond 50GHz under reverse bias above -1V

 The extracted R, C from EAMs indicate the device speed is RC limited
 The GeSi EAM represents a very small capacitive load of Cj < 15fF
 Electrical/Optical response strongly depends on bias voltage and optical
power

M. Rakowski Photonics Summit and Workshop 2017 24

GESI EAM EYE DIAGRAM MEASUREMENTS
56GB/S NRZ @1550NM

1.5Vpp, ER = 2.55dB 2.0Vpp, ER = 3.29dB 2.5Vpp, ER = 3.89dB

 Open eye diagram at 56Gb/s NRZ-OOK data rate

 PRBS data stream, length 231-1
 Measured with 50Ohm terminated, 50GHz RF probe

M. Rakowski Photonics Summit and Workshop 2017 25

50G NRZ SILICON PHOTONICS PLATFORM
GE PHOTODIODE
GE WAVEGUIDE PHOTODETECTOR
GE P-I-N DIODE “VPIN” GePD

 Responsivity: > 0.85A/W at -1V

 O/E 3dB BW > 50GHz
 Dark current: 10nA at -2V
 Capacitance < 20fF
Electro-optical S21 response
56Gb/s, -2V, 1565nm

M. Rakowski Photonics Summit and Workshop 2017 Frequency (GHz) 27

IMEC’S SILICON PHOTONICS PROTOTYPING OFFERING
BUILD YOUR OWN PROTOTYPE IN IMEC’S OPEN PLATFORM TECHNOLOGY!

 Accessing imec’s 200mm Si Photonics Platform (iSiPP50G)

 Both MPW and Fully Dedicated Runs
 Silicon Validated PDK v2.2.0 is available
 Supported by various EDA tools
 Interested? Get in touch! MPW http://www.europractice-ic.com/, Dedicated: Kenneth.Francken@imec.be

M. Rakowski Photonics Summit and Workshop 2017 28

 OPTICAL I/O MODULE
ARCHITECTURE AND SCALING
OPTIONS
PROPOSED OPTICAL I/O MODULE ARCHITECTURE
HYBRID ASSEMBLY ON SILICON PHOTONICS INTERPOSER
Fiber Array Coupler
Cross Section Schematic CMOS

DFB LD Array
DRV TIA CTRL

LC MOD PD (de)MUX FC
TSV
Si Photonics Interposer

• DFB-LD = Distributed Feedback Laser Diode

In-Package Optical Module Integration (400Gb/s+) • LC = Laser Coupler
• DRV = Modulator Driver
• TIA = Trans-Impedance Amplifier
Switch ASIC/FPGA Optical Module • CTRL = Control Circuit
• MOD = Electro-optic Modulator
package • PD = Photodetector
• TSV = Through-Silicon Via
• MUX = Wavelength Multiplexer
• FC = Fiber Coupler
M. Rakowski Photonics Summit and Workshop 2017 30
OPTICAL TRANSCEIVER SCALING
Faster Channels
Focus for very-short reach
100G
interconnects:
50G Faster and More Channels
25G
10G
1-bit 1l
2-bit 4l
PAM-16 (LightWire/Luxtera) 8l
4-bit 16l
1core
8core J. Sakaguchi, et al, "19-core fiber transmission of 19x100x172-Gb/s SDM-WDM-
PDM-QPSK signals at 305Tb/s," OFC2012, PDP5C.1.

16core

More bits per Symbol More Channels

 Amplitude: PAM-X  Parallel (Single-Mode) Fiber [PSM]
 Phase and Amplitude: DP-QPSK, QAM-X, ...  Multi-Core Fiber, Spatial Division Multiplexing [SDM]
 Wavelength Division Multiplexing [WDM]

M. Rakowski Photonics Summit and Workshop 2017 31

OPTICAL CHANNEL SCALING
4-CHANNEL TRANSCEIVER EXAMPLES
PSM-4 CWDM-4
Parallel Single Mode Fiber Coarse Wavelength Division Multiplexing

Channel Modulation
100GbE 4x25Gb/s NRZ
200GbE 4x50Gb/s PAM-4

M. Rakowski Photonics Summit and Workshop 2017 32

OPTICAL CHANNEL SCALING
8-CHANNEL TRANSCEIVER OBJECTIVE
SDM-8 DWDM-8
Spatial Division Multiplexing Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing

Channel Modulation
8x50Gb/s NRZ or PAM-4
400GbE
4x100Gb/s PAM-4
16x50Gb/s NRZ
800GbE
8x100Gb/s PAM-4
M. Rakowski Photonics Summit and Workshop 2017 33
TSV INTEGRATION WITH
SILICON PHOTONICS
TSV INTEGRATION CMOS
WITH SILICON PHOTONICS DRV TIA CTRL Fiber Array Coupler
Si Photonics Interposer
LC MOD PD (de)MUX FC
100µm
 10x100 TSV integration TSV

 Pitch 20-60µm
10µm BSRDL
 BSRDL and passivation

TSV 100µm

Si Photonics interposer on
carrier wafer
100µm

M. Rakowski Photonics Summit and Workshop 2017 35

 100µm
TSV 100µm

HIGH SPEED PERFORMANCE

L
Small Signal (measured) Large Signal (simulated)

L=100µm
Insertion loss (dB)

L=300µm
L=300µm
L=1000µm

Very low RF losses for TSV at 50GHz High-signal integrity at 50Gb/s NRZ
M. Rakowski Photonics Summit and Workshop 2017 36
SIPH TRANSCEIVER DEMONSTRATORS
 ULTRA-COMPACT 16X 56GB/S GESI EAM-PD ARRAY
1x16 MMI splitter tree 100𝜇m pitch
0.7mm

16x 56Gb/s
GeSi EAM
array
1 input,
16 TX output
16 RX input
16x 56Gb/s
GeSi PD array

3mm

37-channel grid of fiber

grating couplers, 37um Input 61-channel Pitch-Reducing Optical Fiber 50um
pitch Array (PROFA, Chiral Photonics)
100x50um GeSi
EAM and PD
37um
100um Diode: 600nm
wide, 40um long

M. Rakowski Photonics Summit and Workshop 2017 38

PACKAGING
PITCH-REDUCING OPTICAL FIBER ARRAY (PROFA)

0.7mm

3.0mm
PROFA and Packaging by Chiral Photonics
M. Rakowski Photonics Summit and Workshop 2017 39
GESI EAM TO GESI PD LOOPBACK TRANSMISSION TEST
16 CHANNEL LINK UNIFORMITY ANALYSIS AT 56GB/S NRZ
 GeSi EAM array  Dynamic extinction ratio (ER) in the range of 2.7-3.3dB
 GeSi EAM to GeSi PD array  SNR in the range of 3.05-3.92
GeSi EAM optical transmission GeSi EAM to GeSi PD Loopback

GeSi EAM driving voltage (peak to peak): 2.5V, 56Gb/s (PRBS31)

M. Rakowski Bias GeSi PD: -2.5V Photonics Summit and Workshop 2017 40
GESI EAM-PD AT 100GB/S
First SINGLE-WAVELENGTH 100Gb/s NRZ-OOK modulation demo in Silicon Photonics
B2B
500m SMF

100Gb/s Eye Diagram

2km DSMF

for GeSi EAM-to-GeSi PD

100Gb/s Eye Diagrams BER below threshold for FEC Collaboration with
(III-V discrete PD)
M. Rakowski Photonics Summit and Workshop 2017 41
RING MODULATOR DRIVER IN 28NM CMOS
CIRCUIT CONCEPT AND WIRE-BONDED PROTOTYPE
Invertor-based Differential Driver Concept Wire-bonded CMOS-SiPh Prototype
Anode Stage VDD SiPh die with ring modulator array
MP1
MP3
MP5 MP4 MN2 Fiber in
AE MP2 Fiber out
Bond Pad
Wirebond Wirebond
drv2 MN3 Polarization
Anode EDFA (6dB)
drv1 controller
MN1
En Cpad =60fF
VSS
Tunable Optical Filter
data Bond Pad Laser
(12dBm)
Cathode Ring
Cathode Stage Modulator
Sampling
Cpad =60fF Oscilloscope
PPG + MUX 40GHz BW
Anode Stage 56 Gb/s

En data -
Cathode Stage
67GHz - 50Ω GSG probe

65µm
50Gb/s NRZ, PRBS07
V
Driver supply:
 Target load per stage: C=150fF Differential voltage
VDD swing VDD=1.1V
 Target data rate = 50Gb/s (1.1V)
 Voltage swing (~1.7 VDD)
Ebit = 610 fJ/bit
 Single driver supply
t
50Gb/s NRZ
-VDD

M. Rakowski Photonics Summit and Workshop 2017 42

CONCLUSIONS

 Interconnect requirements for high bandwidth density, low-power and low-cost are pushing
optical interconnects to shorter distances
 Supporting many modulation schemes & wavelength bands considered for future datacenters
single-mode interconnects
 Silicon Photonics for short-reach optical interconnects
 50G NRZ optical modulation and detection rates are readily achieved
 SiPh active devices can be directly driven by advanced CMOS: low capacitance and low drive voltages
 Tight integration with host CMOS ICs using 3-D assembly
 Low die cost and volume scalability (Spatial and Wavelength Division Multiplexing)
 Main challenges
 Low-cost laser array integration on SiPh interposer
 Self-aligned fiber array assembly
 Thermal stability (passive and active devices) and optical insertion loss

M. Rakowski Photonics Summit and Workshop 2017 43

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

 This work is supported by

 imec’s industry-affiliation R&D program on Optical I/O
 EU Funding: FP7-2007/2013 (318178-PLAT4M), H2020-ICT-2015 (688172-STREAMS) and (688510-
TERABOARD)
 imec’s Optical I/O and Si Photonics team:
P. Verheyen, M. Pantouvaki, B. Snyder, P. De Heyn, G. Lepage, S. Balakrishnan, N. Golshani, J. De Coster, H.
Chen, A. Srinivasan, S. Lardenois, S. Agarwal, P. Absil, J. Van Campenhout and many more

Further information available in these papers:

[1] M. Pantouvaki, et al. “56Gb/s Ring Modulator on a 300mm Silicon Photonics Platform”, TH2.4.4, ECOC 2015
[2] A. Srinivasan, et al. “56Gb/s Germanium Waveguide Electro-Absorption Modulator”, J. Lightw. Tech., 2015
[3] M. Pantouvaki, et al. “50Gb/s Silicon Photonics Platform for Short-Reach Optical Interconnects”, OFC 2016
[4] M. Rakowski et al, “A 50Gb/s, 610fJ/bit Hybrid CMOS-Si Photonics Ring-based NRZ-OOK Transmitter ,” OFC 2016
[5] S. Agarwal et al, “Wavelength Locking of a Si Photonic Ring Transmitter using a Dithering-based OMA Stabilizing Feedback Loop ,” OFC 2016
[6] H. Chen et al, “-1 V Bias 56 Gbps Germanium Waveguide p-i-n Photodetector with Silicon Contacts,” OFC 2016
[7] P. De Heyn et al, “Ultra-Dense 16x56Gb/s NRZ GeSi EAM-PD Arrays Coupled to Multicore Fiber for Short-Reach 896Gb/s Optical Links”, OFC 2017
[8] J. Verbist et al, “First Real-Time 100-Gb/s NRZ-OOK Transmission over 2km with a Silicon Photonics, Electro-Absorption Modulator”, OFC 2017

M. Rakowski Photonics Summit and Workshop 2017 44

CONFIDENTIAL – INTERNAL USE