Optical imaging applied to microelectronic chip-to-chip interconnections

An imaging system is proposed as an alternative to metallized connections between integrated circuits. Power requirements for metallized interconnects and electrooptic links are compared. A holographic optical element is considered as the imaging device. Several experimental systems have been constructed which have visible LEDs as the transmitters and PIN photodiodes as the receivers. Signals are evaluated at different source-detector separations. Multiple exposure holograms are used as a means of optical fan out allowing one source to simultaneously address several receiver locations. Limitations of this technique are also discussed.