US-20260128795-A1 - OPTICAL INTERFACES AND POWER SOLUTIONS FOR CIRCUIT ASSEMBLIES

US20260128795A1US 20260128795 A1US20260128795 A1US 20260128795A1US-20260128795-A1

Abstract

An apparatus as discussed herein includes a stack of circuit layers. One layer in the stack includes a first circuit assembly. The first circuit assembly includes: a first surface and a second surface; a first interface of the first circuit assembly is operative to couple the first surface of the first circuit assembly to a first substrate disposed in a second layer of the stack. The first circuit assembly further includes a second interface operative to provide first connectivity from the first circuit assembly to an optical component assembly at a third layer in the stack. The first circuit assembly is disposed between the second layer and the third layer in the stack. The optical component assembly may include multiple optical devices controlled via driver circuitry disposed in the first circuit assembly. The multiple optical devices may support transmission and reception of optical signals.

Inventors

Muzammil A. Arain

Assignees

INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AUSTRIA AG

Dates

Publication Date: 20260507
Application Date: 20241106

Claims (20)

1 . An apparatus comprising: a first circuit assembly including: a first surface and a second surface; a first interface operative to couple the first surface of the first circuit assembly to a first substrate; and a second interface operative to support first connectivity from the second surface of the first circuit assembly to an optical component assembly, the optical component assembly including multiple optical devices controlled via driver circuitry disposed in the first circuit assembly between the first surface and the second surface.
2 . The apparatus as in claim 1 , wherein the multiple optical devices of the optical component assembly are configured to receive and transmit optical signals propagating substantially orthogonal with respect to the second surface of the first circuit assembly.
3 . The apparatus as in claim 2 , wherein the first circuit assembly further includes: a third interface disposed on the second surface, the third interface operative to provide second connectivity of the first circuit assembly to a load; and electrically conductive paths supporting third connectivity between the load and the driver circuitry disposed in the first circuit assembly.
4 . The apparatus as in claim 3 , wherein the optical component assembly includes a third substrate; and wherein the multiple optical devices are disposed on a surface of the third substrate, the surface of the third substrate disposed parallel to the second surface of the first substrate.
5 . The apparatus as in claim 1 further comprising: a processor component coupled to the second surface of the first circuit assembly, the processor component disposed adjacent to the optical component assembly; and electrically conductive paths disposed in the first circuit assembly between the driver circuitry and the processor component.
6 . The apparatus as in claim 1 further comprising: a redistribution layer disposed between the second surface of the first circuit assembly and the optical component assembly, the redistribution layer including electrically conductive paths operative to convey signals between the multiple optical devices of the optical component assembly and a data processor affixed to the redistribution layer.
7 . The apparatus as in claim 6 , wherein the multiple optical devices include optical transmitter devices and optical receiver devices; wherein each respective optical transmitter device of the optical transmitter devices is operative to convert a respective electrical signal received from the data processor into a respective optical signal transmitted from the respective optical transmitter device; and wherein each respective optical receiver device of the optical receiver devices is operative to convert a respective optical signal received by the respective optical receiver device into a respective electrical signal transmitted to the data processor.
8 . The apparatus as in claim 1 , wherein the first substrate is a motherboard substrate operative to supply power to the first circuit assembly for redistribution to an optical component assembly; and wherein the backside vertical power module is used to provide power to the load or a processor as well as the optical component assembly through a motherboard and package substrate.
9 . The apparatus as in claim 1 further comprising: an electronic component coupled to the second surface of the first circuit assembly, the electronic component being disposed adjacent to the optical component assembly; first electrically conductive paths extending through the first circuit assembly between the electronic component and optical transmitter devices disposed in the optical component assembly, the first electrically conductive paths operative to convey first electrical signals from the electronic component to the optical transmitter devices; and second electrically conductive paths extending through the first circuit assembly between optical receiver devices of the optical component assembly and the electronic component, the second electrically conductive paths operative to convey second electrical signals from the optical receiver devices to the electronic component.
10 . The apparatus as in claim 1 , wherein the multiple optical devices of the optical component assembly are coupled to a surface of the optical component assembly, the multiple optical devices configured to receive/transmit optical signals which travel in a direction substantially orthogonal with respect to the surface of the optical component assembly.
11 . The apparatus as in claim 1 , wherein the optical component assembly includes: i) a third substrate coupled to the second interface of the first circuit assembly, and ii) where the multiple optical devices are affixed to a first surface of the third substrate, the first surface of the third substrate disposed parallel to the second surface of the first circuit assembly.
12 . A component stack comprising: a first layer including the optical component assembly of claim 1 ; a second layer including the first circuit assembly as in claim 1 , the first circuit assembly comprising: i) a power converter disposed between the first surface of the first circuit assembly and the second surface of the first circuit assembly, the power converter operative to convert a received input voltage into an output voltage, and ii) electrically conductive paths operative to convey the output voltage from the power converter to the multiple optical devices of the optical component assembly; a third layer including the first substrate; and wherein the second layer is disposed between the first layer and the second layer.
13 . The apparatus as in claim 1 , wherein the second interface includes a third substrate disposed between the first circuit assembly and the optical component assembly, the third substrate providing electrical connectivity between the first circuit assembly and the optical component assembly.
14 . An apparatus comprising: a substrate; a modulator assembly; and an optical transmitter device affixed to the substrate, the optical transmitter device configured to transmit an optical signal transmitted in a direction orthogonal to the surface of the substrate, the optical signal including different wavelengths transmitted to optical modulator elements in the modulator assembly, each of the optical modulator elements operative to control modulation of a respective received wavelength of the different wavelengths of the optical signal onto an optical fiber for transmission over the optical fiber to a remote destination.
15 . The apparatus as in claim 14 further comprising: an optical lens disposed between the optical transmitter device and the optical modulator elements in the modulator assembly.
16 . The apparatus as in claim 14 further comprising: electrically conductive paths extending through the substrate to the optical modulator elements in the modulator assembly, the electrically conductive paths operative to convey modulator control signals to the optical modulator elements of the modulator assembly.
17 . The apparatus as in claim 16 , wherein the modulator control signals include a first modulator control signal conveyed from the substrate to a first optical modulator element of the modulator assembly, the first optical modulator element operative to modulate a first wavelength of the multiple different wavelengths in accordance with the first modulator control signal; and wherein the modulator control signals include a second modulator control signal conveyed from the substrate to a second optical modulator element of the modulator assembly, the second optical modulator element operative to modulate a second wavelength of the multiple different wavelengths in accordance with the second modulator control signal.
18 . An apparatus comprising: a substrate; an optical interface to receive an optical signal; an optical splitter disposed between the optical interface and the substrate, the optical splitter operative to split the received optical signal into different wavelengths; and multiple optical receiver devices affixed to a surface of the substrate, the multiple optical receiver devices operative to receive the different wavelengths of the optical signal, the different wavelengths of the optical signal received by the multiple optical receiver devices in a direction orthogonal to the surface of the substrate.
19 . The apparatus as in claim 18 , wherein the optical splitter includes a wavelength demultiplexer operative to split the received optical signal into the different wavelengths of the optical signal.
20 . The apparatus as in claim 19 , wherein the multiple optical receiver devices include a first optical receiver device affixed to the substrate, the first optical receiver device operative to receive a first wavelength of the optical signal and convert the received first wavelength of the optical signal into a first electrical signal; wherein the multiple optical receiver devices include a second optical receiver device affixed to the substrate, the second optical receiver device operative to receive a second wavelength of the optical signal and convert the received second wavelength of the optical signal into a second electrical signal, the apparatus further comprising: a first electrically conductive path extending from the first optical receiver device through the substrate, the first electrically conductive path operative to convey the first electrical signal; and a second electrically conductive path extending from the second optical receiver device through the substrate, the first electrically conductive path operative to convey the first electrical signal.

Description

BACKGROUND A printed circuit board (PCB) or printed wiring board is a laminated structure of conductive layers separated by insulating layers. In general, PCBs have two functions. The first is to secure electronic components at designated locations on the outer layers of the PCB by means of affixing such as soldering. The electronic circuit instantiated by the populated circuit board is designed to provide one or more specific functions. After fabrication, the electronic circuit is powered to perform the desired functions. Typically, a printed circuit board is a planar device on which multiple components are interconnected via traces to provide the functions as previously discussed. Such implementations of fabricating circuitry such as a power converter, computer device, and an optical interface on a planar circuit board assembly is dimensionally limited. One type of electronic components are integrated circuits (ICs). Some example of ICs are computer CPU, GPU, and data processing device. These IC include IC substrates which are essential for connecting ICs to the PCBs. These substrates provide connections between multiple chips and PCBs, protect and support the chips (ICs), protect and support ICs, and distribute power and input/output signals use to communicate with other ICs, PCBs, and systems. It is noted that the package substrate or IC substrate is sometimes termed as interposer especially when the substrate provides connections between different types of ICs, for example, electronic and optical ICs. BRIEF DESCRIPTION Implementation of clean energy (or green technology) is very important to reduce our impact as humans on the environment. In general, clean energy includes any evolving methods and materials to reduce an overall toxicity of energy consumption on the environment. This disclosure includes the observation that raw energy, such as received from green energy sources or non-green energy sources, typically needs to be converted into an appropriate form (such as desired AC voltage, DC voltage, etc.) before it can be used to power end devices such as servers, computers, mobile communication devices, etc. Regardless of whether energy is received from green energy sources or non-green energy sources, it is desirable to make most efficient use of raw energy provided by such systems to reduce our impact on the environment. This disclosure contributes to reducing our carbon footprint (and green energy) via more efficient energy conversion, optical signal conversion, and circuit implementations supporting same. In one example, optical signal conversion may be used for connecting different ICs (integrated circuits) located on different PCBs (printed circuit boards) together, which may be implemented in data centers. One example as discussed herein includes use of vertical Optical I/O (Input/Output) circuitry to solve these challenges of connecting multiple computer systems together over larger distances. More specifically, an apparatus as discussed herein includes a first circuit assembly. The apparatus can be configured to include a stack of layers (circuit component layers). In one example, a first layer in the stack includes a first circuit assembly. The first circuit assembly may include: a first surface and a second surface. A first interface of the first circuit assembly is operative to couple the first surface and corresponding interface of the first circuit assembly to a first substrate disposed in a second layer of the stack. The first circuit assembly further includes a second interface operative to provide first connectivity from the first circuit assembly to an optical component assembly at a third layer in the stack. The first circuit assembly may be disposed between the second layer and the third layer in the stack. The optical component assembly may include multiple optical devices (circuit components) controlled via driver circuitry disposed in the first circuit assembly. The multiple optical devices may support transmission and reception of optical signals. In one example, the multiple optical devices of the optical component assembly may be configured to receive and transmit optical signals propagating substantially orthogonal with respect to the second surface of the first circuit assembly. The first circuit assembly may further include: a third interface disposed on the second surface, the third interface operative to provide second connectivity of the first circuit assembly to a load; and electrically conductive paths supporting third connectivity between the load and the driver circuitry disposed in the first circuit assembly. Yet further, the optical component assembly as discussed herein can be configured to include a third substrate; where the multiple optical devices are disposed on a surface of the third substrate, the surface of the third substrate may be disposed parallel to the second surface of the first substrate. In accordance with still further examples, the apparatus a