This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project addresses the need for advanced packaging techniques in optoelectronic (OE) product manufacturing. The limitations in communication and computation today arise from the use of centralized, serial architectures. The future in communication and computation networks is to move away from systems which are centralized and serial to ones that are distributed and parallel. Using electrical signals for high-bandwidth parallel I/O and processors suffers from several limitations: (1) expense and bulk of shield cables; (2) high attenuation; (3) crosstalk; (4) timing skew; and (5) ground loops. Consequently, the demand is for full access to optical bandwidths for parallel optical and hybrid processors and parallel fiber links. Currently, one barrier to the development of optoelectronic (OE) components and systems is the cost. Packaging comprises 40-50% of the OE component cost. Today, custom packaging is the rule and not the exception for OE components. The need for flexible, standardized, low-cost packaging techniques is tremendous. Photonics Research Incorporated proposes to develop advanced packaging techniques for OE components and systems.
