US-12625335-B2 - Optical interposers

Abstract

Apparatuses, systems, and associated methods of manufacturing are described that provide an optical interposer and associated communication system. An example optical interposer includes a substrate having a first end that receives a first optical fiber welded thereto and a second end that receives a plurality of photonic integrated circuits (PICs) attached thereto. The interposer further includes an optical waveguide network defined by the substrate that provides optical communication between the first welded optical fiber and the plurality of PICs. The optical waveguide network also includes optical redistribution elements supported by the substrate. In an operational configuration, the optical interposer receives a first input optical signal from the first welded optical fiber, and the plurality of optical redistribution elements successively split the first input optical signal such that a plurality of output optical signals is directed to the plurality of PICs.

Inventors

• Alon RUBINSTEIN
• Elad Mentovich
• Dimitrios Kalavrouziotis
• Paraskevas BAKOPOULOS

Assignees

• MELLANOX TECHNOLOGIES, LTD.

Dates

Publication Date

20260512

Application Date

20190821

Claims (20)

1. 1 . An optical interposer comprising: a substrate defining: a first end configured to receive a first optical fiber welded thereto, and a second end configured to receive a plurality of photonic integrated circuits (PICs) attached thereto; an optical waveguide network defined by the substrate and configured to, in an operational configuration in which the first end receives the first welded optical fiber and the second end receives the plurality of PICs, provide optical communication between the first welded optical fiber and the plurality of PICs; and a plurality of optical redistribution elements supported by the substrate and disposed within the optical waveguide network, wherein, in the operational configuration, the optical interposer is configured to receive a first input optical signal from the first welded optical fiber, and the plurality of optical redistribution elements is configured to selectively and successively split the first input optical signal such that a plurality of output optical signals is directed to the plurality of PICs.
2. 2 . The optical interposer according to claim 1 , wherein the first end is configured to receive the first welded optical fiber in an in-plane configuration.
3. 3 . The optical interposer according to claim 1 , wherein the first end is configured to receive the first welded optical fiber welded to a top surface of the first end, such that the first welded optical fiber is positioned substantially perpendicular with respect to the substrate.
4. 4 . The optical interposer according to claim 1 , where the first end of the substrate is further configured to receive a second optical fiber welded thereto.
5. 5 . The optical interposer according to claim 4 , wherein the optical waveguide network further comprises a directional coupler configured to receive the first optical input signal from the first welded optical fiber and a second optical input signal from the second welded optical fiber.
6. 6 . The optical interposer according to claim 1 , wherein the substrate further defines one or more demultiplexing structures configured to, in an instance in which the first input optical signal comprises a multiplexed optical signal, demultiplex the multiplexed optical signal.
7. 7 . The optical interposer according to claim 1 , wherein the optical waveguide network further comprises one or more gain input elements configured to provide optical gain to the plurality of output optical signals.
8. 8 . An optical communication system comprising: a first optical fiber; a plurality of photonic integrated circuits; and an optical interposer comprising: a substrate defining: a first end configured to receive the first optical fiber welded thereto, and a second end configured to receive the plurality of photonic integrated circuits (PICs) attached thereto; an optical waveguide network defined by the substrate and configured to provide optical communication between the first welded optical fiber and the plurality of PICS; and a plurality of optical redistribution elements supported by the substrate and disposed within the optical waveguide network, wherein the optical interposer is configured to receive a first input optical signal from the first welded optical fiber, and the plurality of optical redistribution elements is configured to selectively and successively split the first input optical signal such that a plurality of output optical signals is directed to the plurality of PICs.
9. 9 . The optical communication system according to claim 8 , wherein the first optical fiber is welded to the first end of the substrate in an in-plane configuration.
10. 10 . The optical communication system according to claim 8 , wherein the first optical fiber is welded to the first end of the substrate in a vertical configuration such that the first welded optical fiber is positioned substantially perpendicular with respect to the substrate.
11. 11 . The optical communication system according to claim 8 , further comprising a second optical fiber welded to the first end of the substrate.
12. 12 . The optical communication system according to claim 11 , wherein the optical waveguide network further comprises a directional coupler configured to receive the first optical input signal from the first welded optical fiber and a second optical input signal from the second welded optical fiber.
13. 13 . The optical communication system according to claim 8 , wherein the substrate further defines one or more demultiplexing structures configured to, in an instance in which the first input optical signal comprises a multiplexed optical signal, demultiplex the multiplexed optical signal.
14. 14 . The optical communication system according to claim 8 , wherein the optical waveguide network further comprises one or more gain input elements configured to provide optical gain to the plurality of output optical signals.
15. 15 . The optical interposer according to claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the second end of the interposer is configured to overlap at least a portion of the plurality of PICs.
16. 16 . The optical interposer according to claim 1 , wherein a bottom surface of the substrate opposite the top surface at the second end is configured to overlap at least a portion of the plurality of PICs.
17. 17 . The optical interposer according to claim 15 , further comprising a plurality of alignment structures configured to provide optical communication between the optical waveguide network at the second end and the plurality of PICs.
18. 18 . The optical interposer according to claim 1 , wherein the first end of the substrate is further configured to receive a second welded optical fiber welded to the top surface of the first end of the substrate such that the first welded optical fiber is positioned substantially perpendicular with respect to the substrate.
19. 19 . The optical interposer according to claim 18 , wherein the optical interposer is configured to receive a second input optical signal from the second welded optical fiber in an instance in which the first welded optical fiber fails.
20. 20 . The optical interposer according to claim 1 , wherein a bandwidth for at least one of the plurality of output optical signals from the plurality of optical redistribution elements differs from a bandwidth of another of the plurality of output optical signals.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a national phase entry of International Application No. PCT/GR2019/000058, filed Aug. 21, 2019, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. TECHNOLOGICAL FIELD Example embodiments of the present invention relate generally to network connection systems and, more particularly, to systems and apparatuses for high powered optical signals. BACKGROUND Datacenters and other networking systems may include connections between switch systems, servers, racks, and devices in order to provide for signal transmission between one or more of these elements. These connections may be made using cables, transceivers, interconnects, interposers, and connector assemblies. For high bandwidth applications and/or connections over long distances, high powered optical communications may be preferred to ensure signal transmission integrity. BRIEF SUMMARY Example embodiments of the present disclosure provide for optical interposers for high powered optical signals. An example optical interposer may include a substrate defining a first end that receives a first optical fiber welded thereto, and a second end that receives a plurality of photonic integrated circuits (PICs) attached thereto. The optical interposer may further include an optical waveguide network defined by the substrate. In an operational configuration in which the first end receives the first welded optical fiber and the second end receives the plurality of PICs, the optical waveguide network may provide optical communication between the first welded optical fiber and the plurality of PICs. The optical interposer may further include a plurality of optical redistribution elements supported by the substrate and disposed within the optical waveguide network. In the operational configuration, the optical interposer may receive a first input optical signal from the first welded optical fiber, and the plurality of optical redistribution elements may successively split the first input optical signal such that a plurality of output optical signals is directed to the plurality of PICs. In some embodiments, the first end may be configured to receive the first welded optical fiber in an in-plane configuration. In other embodiments, the first end may be configured to receive the first welded optical fiber in a vertical configuration such that the first welded optical fiber is positioned substantially perpendicular with respect to the substrate. In some embodiments, the first end of the substrate may be further configured to receive a second optical fiber welded thereto. In such an embodiment, the optical waveguide network may further include a directional coupler configured to receive the first optical input signal from the first welded optical fiber and a second optical input signal from the second welded optical fiber. In some embodiments, the substrate may further define one or more demultiplexing structures configured to, in an instance in which the first input optical signal includes a multiplexed optical signal, demultiplex the multiplexed optical signal. In some cases, the optical waveguide network may further include one or more gain input elements configured to provide optical gain to the plurality of output optical signals. The above summary is provided merely for purposes of summarizing some example embodiments to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the invention. Accordingly, it will be appreciated that the above-described embodiments are merely examples and should not be construed to narrow the scope or spirit of the invention in any way. It will be appreciated that the scope of the invention encompasses many potential embodiments in addition to those here summarized, some of which will be further described below. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Having described certain example embodiments of the present disclosure in general terms above, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings. The components illustrated in the figures may or may not be present in certain embodiments described herein. Some embodiments may include fewer (or more) components than those shown in the figures. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a networking cable for implementing some example embodiments described herein; FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an optical interposer according to an example embodiment; FIG. 3 is a top view of an example optical communication system including the optical interposer of FIG. 2 according to an example embodiment; FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the optical communication system of FIG. 3 according to an example embodiment; FIG. 5 is a top view of an alternative example optical communication system including the optical interposer of FIG. 2 according to an example embodiment; FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the optical communication system of FIG. 5 according to an example embodiment; and FIG. 7 is a method for manufacturing an optical interposer according to an