Distributing clock signals using metamaterial-based waveguides

• US 7,545,242 B2
• Filed: 11/01/2005
• Issued: 06/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Beausoliel, Raymond G., Bratkovski, Alexandre M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; Benny
• Assistant Examiner(s): Glenn; Kimberly E
• Application Number:
  US11/264,410
• Publication Number:
  US 20070109023A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,316 Days
• Field of Search: 333/208, 333/209, 333/239, 333/248
• US Class Current: 333/239
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/10 Distribution of clock signals , e.g. skew
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 3/00 Waveguides; Transmission lines of the waveguide type

Abstract

Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to global interconnects that employ metamaterial-based waveguides to distribute clock signals to IC internal components. In one embodiment of the present invention, a global interconnect includes an electromagnetic radiation source that radiates electromagnetic waves. The global interconnect also includes a metamaterial-based waveguide that directs a transverse magnetic field mode of the electromagnetic wave to antennae of the internal components in order to induce an oscillating current within the internal components that serves as the clock signal.

Claims

1. A global interconnect for distributing a clock signal to internal components of an integrated circuit, the global interconnect comprising:

an electromagnetic radiation source that radiates electromagnetic waves; and

a metamaterial-based waveguide that directs a transverse magnetic field mode of the electromagnetic wave to antennae of the internal components in order to induce an oscillating current within the internal components that serves as the clock signal.

2. The global interconnect of claim 1 wherein the electromagnetic radiation source further comprises a tapered optical fiber that transmits electromagnetic radiation.

3. The global interconnect of claim 1 wherein the electromagnetic radiation source further comprises a tapered coaxial cable that transmits electromagnetic radiation.

4. The global interconnect of claim 1 wherein the metamaterial-based waveguide further comprises a two-dimensional regular lattice of microstructures.

5. The global interconnect of claim 4 wherein the two-dimensional regular lattice of microstructures further comprises the microstructures located on a surface of a substrate.

6. The global interconnect of claim 4 wherein the two-dimensional regular lattice of microstructures further comprises the microstructures embedded within a substrate.

7. The global interconnect of claim 6 wherein the microstructures embedded within the substrate further comprises the microstructures extending above the top surface of the substrate and the microstructures extending below the bottom surface of the substate.

8. The global interconnect of claim 4 wherein the microstructures further comprises either a Swiss roll capacitor or a split ring resonator.

9. An integrated circuit comprising:

one or more interconnected internal components supported by a first substrate; and

one or more metamaterial-based waveguides supported by a second substrate and located opposite the first substrate that distribute electromagnetic waves to antennae of the internal components in order to induce an oscillating current within the internal components that serves as a clock signal.

10. The integrated circuit of claim 9 further comprises an electromagnetic radiation source that radiates electromagnetic waves of radiation.

11. The integrated circuit of claim 10 wherein the electromagnetic radiation source further comprises either a tapered optical fiber or a tapered coaxial cable located next to the metamaterial-based waveguides.

12. The integrated circuit of claim 9 wherein the internal components are logic circuits.

13. The integrated circuits of claim 9 wherein the internal components are memory.

14. The integrated circuit of claim 9 wherein the internal components are processing units.

15. The integrated circuit of claim 9 wherein the interconnected internal components further comprises the antennae for receiving the clock signals transmitted by the metamaterial-based waveguides.

16. The integrated circuit of claim 9 wherein the first substrate further comprises interconnects for transmitting data between computing devices.

17. The integrated circuit of claim 9 wherein the metamaterial-based waveguide further comprises a two-dimensional regular lattice of microstructures.

18. The integrated circuit of claim 17 wherein the two-dimensional regular lattice of microstructures further comprises the microstructures located on a surface of the second substrate.

19. The integrated circuit of claim 17 wherein the two-dimensional regular lattice of microstructures further comprises the microstructures embedded within the second substrate.

20. The integrated circuit of claim 19 wherein the microstructures embedded within the second substrate further comprises the microstructures extending above the top surface of the second substrate and the microstructures extending below the bottom surface of the second substrate.

21. The integrated circuit of claim 17 wherein the microstructures further comprises either a Swiss roll capacitor or a split ring resonator.

22. A method for distributing a clock signal to internal components of an integrated circuit, the method comprising:

providing one or more interconnected internal components;

providing one or more metamaterial-based waveguides; and

distributing a transverse magnetic field mode of an electromagnetic wave to antennae of the internal components in order to induce an oscillating current within the internal components that serves as the clock signal.

23. The method of claim 22 further comprises providing electromagnetic radiation source that supplies the electromagnetic waves of radiation.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein providing the electromagnetic radiation source further comprises providing a tapered optical fiber or a tapered coaxial cable located next to the metamaterial-based waveguides.

25. The method of claim 22 wherein the internal components are logic circuits.

26. The method of claim 22 wherein the internal components are memory.

27. The method of claim 22 wherein the internal components are processing units.

28. The method of claim 22 wherein providing the one or more interconnected internal components further comprises providing a substrate that includes interconnects for transmitting data between the internal components.

29. The method of claim 22 wherein the metamaterial-based waveguide further comprises a two-dimensional regular lattice of microstructures.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein the two-dimensional regular lattice of microstructures further comprises the microstructures located on a surface of a second substrate.

31. The method of claim 29 wherein the two-dimensional regular lattice of microstructures further comprises the microstructures embedded within a second substrate.

32. The method of claim 31 wherein the microstructures embedded within the second substrate further comprises the microstructures extending above the top surface of the second substrate and the microstructures extending below the bottom surface of the second substrate.

33. The method of claim 31 wherein the microstructures further comprises either a Swiss roll capacitor or a split ring resonator.