SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES HAVING ELECTRO-OPTICAL SUBSTRATES

• US 20200132930A1
• Filed: 10/26/2018
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Bchir, Omar J.
• Granted Patent: US 10,928,585 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/12004 Combinations of two or more optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/1225 comprising photonic band-gap structures or photonic lattices
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/30 for use between fibre and thin-film device
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/428 containing printed circuit boards [PCB]
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/43 Arrangements comprising a plurality of opto-electronic elements and associated optical interconnections
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/401 forming cells needing refreshing or charge regeneration, i.e. dynamic cells
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 5/04 Supports for storage elements , e.g. memory modules; Mounting or fixing of storage elements on such supports
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 5/063 Voltage and signal distribution in integrated semi-conductor memory access lines, e.g. word-line, bit-line, cross-over resistance, propagation delay
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 7/1054 Optical output buffers
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 7/1081 Optical input buffers

Abstract

Memory devices having electro-optical substrates are described herein. In one embodiment, a memory device includes a plurality of memories carried by an electro-optical substrate. The electro-optical substrate can include a circuit board and an optical routing layer on the circuit board. The memories can be (a) electrically coupled to the circuit board and (b) optically coupled to the optical routing layer. In some embodiments, the optical routing layer is a polymer waveguide.

Claims

1. A memory device, comprising:

an electro-optical substrate having a plurality of receive optical paths and a plurality of transmit optical paths, wherein the receive optical paths are optically separated from one another, and wherein the transmit optical paths are optically separated from one another; and

a plurality of memories carried by the electro-optical substrate, wherein the memories are electrically coupled to the electro-optical substrate, wherein individual ones of the memories are optically coupled to (a) a corresponding one of the receive optical paths and (b) a corresponding one of the transmit optical paths, and wherein the memories are configured to—

receive optical signals via the corresponding ones of the receive optical paths,

transmit optical signals via the corresponding ones of the transmit optical paths and

receive power via the electro-optical substrate.

2. The memory device of claim 1 wherein the electro-optical substrate includes an electrical substrate and a waveguide defining the receive optical paths and the transmit optical paths, and wherein the memories are (a) electrically coupled to the electrical substrate and (b) optically coupled to the waveguide.

3. The memory device of claim 2 wherein the waveguide comprises one or more layers of polymer material and does not include a pre-formed substrate.

4. The memory device of claim 2 wherein the waveguide is affixed to the electrical substrate.

5. The memory device of claim 2 wherein the electrical substrate is a printed circuit board (PCB).

6. The memory device of claim 1 wherein the electro-optical substrate includes a grating coupling and a waveguide defining the receive optical paths and the transmit optical paths, and wherein the memories are optically coupled to the waveguide via the grating coupling.

7. The memory device of claim 1 wherein the electro-optical substrate includes a waveguide defining the receive optical paths and the transmit optical paths, and wherein the memories are optically coupled to the waveguide via one or more optical fibers.

8. The memory device of claim 1, further comprising at least one optical connector, wherein the optical connector is optically coupled to the optical paths and the transmit optical paths, and wherein the optical connector is configured to be optically coupled to an external device.

9. The memory device of claim 8 wherein the optical connector is a multi-fiber push on (MPO) connector.

11. The memory device of claim 1 wherein individual memories include (a) a first photon integrated circuit (PIC) chip optically coupled to the corresponding one of the receive optical paths and (b) a second PIC chip optically coupled to the corresponding one of the transmit optical paths.

10. (canceled)

12. A dual in-line memory module (DIMM), comprising:

a substrate including a circuit board and optical routing layer on the circuit board, wherein the optical routing layer includes a plurality of receive optical paths and a plurality of transmit optical paths, wherein the receive optical paths are optically separated from one another, and wherein the transmit optical paths are optically separated from one another; and

a plurality of memories electrically coupled to the circuit board, wherein individual ones of the memories are optically coupled to (a) a corresponding one of the receive optical paths and (b) a corresponding one of the transmit optical paths.

13. The DIMM of claim 12 wherein the optical routing layer is a polymer waveguide.

14. The DIMM of claim 12 wherein the optical routing layer includes a pre-formed substrate, and wherein the optical routing layer is affixed to the circuit board.

15. The DIMM of claim 12 wherein the optical routing layer includes two or more layers of polymer material having different refractive indices, and wherein the two or more layers of polymer material are formed directly on the circuit board.

16. The DIMM of claim 12 wherein the circuit board includes an edge connector, wherein the memories are configured to receive power via the edge connector, and wherein the memories are configured to receive data signals only via the optical routing layer.

23. The DIMM of claim 12, further comprising an optical connector optically coupled to the receive optical paths and the transmit optical paths, wherein the optical connector is configured to be optically coupled to an external device

17. A method of forming a memory device, the method comprising:

forming an optical layer on an electrical substrate wherein, the optical layer includes a plurality of receive optical paths and a plurality of transmit optical paths, wherein the receive optical paths are optically separated from one another, and wherein the transmit optical paths are optically separated from one another;

electrically coupling a plurality of memories to the electrical substrate; and

optically coupling individual ones of the memories to (a) a corresponding one of the receive optical paths and (b) a corresponding one of the transmit optical paths.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein forming the optical layer includes depositing one or more layers of polymer material directly onto the electrical substrate.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein forming the optical layer includes patterning the one or more layers of polymer material to form a polymer waveguide.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein the optical layer includes a waveguide, and wherein forming the optical layer includes affixing the waveguide to the electrical substrate.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the waveguide includes a flexible substrate.

22. The method of claim 20 wherein the waveguide includes a rigid substrate.