Design and optimization of vertical interconnections for multilayer optical networks‑on-chip

Photonic Interconnects for Computing Systems presents a compilation of outstanding contributions from leading research groups in the field. It presents a comprehensive overview of the design, advantages, challenges, and requirements of photonic interconnects for computing systems. The selected contributions present important discussions and approaches related to the design and development of novel photonic interconnect architectures, as well as various design solutions to improve the performance of such systems while considering different challenges. The book is ideal for personnel in computer/photonic industries as well as academic staff and master/graduate students in computer science and engineering, electronic engineering, electrical engineering and photonics.

This chapter presents an overview of material platforms and vertical interconnection schemes enabling the implementation of multilayer optical networkson-chip. Issues related to the design of staked photonic circuits, with particular regard to optical isolation, will be highlighted and discussed. Among the various interconnection solutions outlined in the text, two significant ones will be more detailed: the former exploiting directional couplers with inverse adiabatic tapers; the latter relying on multimode interference devices. Results showing the feasibility and the optimization of these approaches are presented and discussed.