Optic-coupled integrated circuits

摘要

Signal/data enters the IC in optic form via an optically-efficient method from either fiber optic or circuit-trace optic waveguides. The optic signal/data is transformed to electrical signal/data via the photo-sensing cells that are illuminated by each channel's photon beam. This electrical signal then is transmitted via a connection to an IC chip which performs the required processing. This IC chip is supplied with electric power by means of a photo-voltaic cell array mounted internal to the IC package. The illumination source of the photo-voltaic array is provided by an optic waveguide that transmits a high intensity photon beam of proper wavelength to yield efficient photon-to-electric current conversion. A portion of this high intensity photon beam is captured by an optic waveguide mounted internal to the IC This optic waveguide conducts the photons to a region where photo-intensity modular cells are located. Each of these modulator cells is connected electrically to the output terminals of the IC and seerves to convert the electrical signal/data to an equivalent optic form by means of modulating a portion of the supplied photons and directing the modulated beam toward the output channel optic waveguide. This optic waveguide then transmits the signal/data to other optic-coupled IC's or transducers, as required.