Optical communication between face-to-face semiconductor chips
First Claim
1. A method for communicating between a first semiconductor die and a second semiconductor die through optical signaling, comprising:
- converting an electrical signal into an optical signal using an electrical-to-optical transducer located on a face of the first semiconductor die;
wherein the first semiconductor die and the second semiconductor die are oriented face-to-face so that the optical signal generated on the first semiconductor die shines on the second semiconductor die;
receiving the optical signal on a face of the second semiconductor die; and
converting the optical signal into a corresponding electrical signal using an optical-to-electrical transducer located on the face of the second semiconductor die.
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Abstract
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that communicates between a first semiconductor die and a second semiconductor die through optical signaling. During operation, the system converts an electrical signal into an optical signal using an electrical-to-optical transducer located on a face of the first semiconductor die, wherein the first semiconductor die and the second semiconductor die are oriented face-to-face so that the optical signal generated on the first semiconductor die shines on the second semiconductor die. Upon receiving the optical signal on a face of the second semiconductor die, the system converts the optical signal into a corresponding electrical signal using an optical-to-electrical transducer located on the face of the second semiconductor die.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A method for communicating between a first semiconductor die and a second semiconductor die through optical signaling, comprising:
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converting an electrical signal into an optical signal using an electrical-to-optical transducer located on a face of the first semiconductor die;
wherein the first semiconductor die and the second semiconductor die are oriented face-to-face so that the optical signal generated on the first semiconductor die shines on the second semiconductor die;
receiving the optical signal on a face of the second semiconductor die; and
converting the optical signal into a corresponding electrical signal using an optical-to-electrical transducer located on the face of the second semiconductor die. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An apparatus for communicating between semiconductor chips through optical signaling, comprising:
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a first semiconductor die;
a second semiconductor die;
an electrical-to-optical transducer located on a face of the first semiconductor die, which is configured to convert an electrical signal into an optical signal;
wherein the first semiconductor die and the second semiconductor die are oriented face-to-face so that the optical signal generated on the first semiconductor die shines on the second semiconductor die;
an optical-to-electrical transducer located on a face of the second semiconductor die, which is configured to convert the optical signal received from the first semiconductor die into a corresponding electrical signal. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A computer system including semiconductor chips that communicate with each other through optical signaling, comprising:
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a first semiconductor die containing one or more processors;
a second semiconductor die containing circuitry that communicates with the one or more processors;
an electrical-to-optical transducer located on a face of the first semiconductor die, which is configured to convert an electrical signal into an optical signal;
wherein the first semiconductor die and the second semiconductor die are oriented face-to-face so that the optical signal generated on the first semiconductor die shines on the second semiconductor die;
an optical-to-electrical transducer located on a face of the second semiconductor die, which is configured to convert the optical signal received from the first semiconductor die into a corresponding electrical signal. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification