Photonic chiplet interconnection via 3D-nanoprinted interposer

In the past several decades, photonic integrated circuits (PICs) have been investigated using a variety of different waveguide materials and each excels in specific key metrics, such as efficient light emission, low propagation loss, high electro-optic efficiency, and potential for volume production...

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Main Authors: Huiyu Huang, Zhitian Shi, Giuseppe Talli, Maxim Kuschnerov, Richard Penty, Qixiang Cheng
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Light Publishing Group 2025-01-01
Series:Light: Advanced Manufacturing
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Online Access:https://www.light-am.com/article/doi/10.37188/lam.2024.046
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author Huiyu Huang
Zhitian Shi
Giuseppe Talli
Maxim Kuschnerov
Richard Penty
Qixiang Cheng
author_facet Huiyu Huang
Zhitian Shi
Giuseppe Talli
Maxim Kuschnerov
Richard Penty
Qixiang Cheng
author_sort Huiyu Huang
collection DOAJ
description In the past several decades, photonic integrated circuits (PICs) have been investigated using a variety of different waveguide materials and each excels in specific key metrics, such as efficient light emission, low propagation loss, high electro-optic efficiency, and potential for volume production. Despite sustained research, each platform shows inherit shortcomings that as a result stimulate studies in hybrid and heterogeneous integration technologies to create more powerful cross-platform devices. This is to combine the best properties of each platform; however, it requires dedicated development of special designs and additional fabrication processes for each different combination of material systems. In this work, we present a novel hybrid integration scheme that leverages a 3D-nanoprinted interposer to realize a photonic chiplet interconnection system. This method represents a generic solution that can readily couple between chips of any material system, with each fabricated on its own technology platform, and more importantly, with no change in the established process flow for the individual chips. A fast-printing process with sub-micron accuracy is developed to form the chip-coupling frame and fiber-guiding funnel, achieving a mode-field-dimension (MFD) conversion ratio of up to 5:2 (from a SMF28 fiber to 4 µm × 4 µm mode in polymer waveguide), which, to the best of our knowledge, represents the largest mode size conversion using non-waveguided 3D nanoprinted components. Furthermore, we demonstrate such a photonic chiplet interconnection system between silicon and InP chips with a 2.5 dB die-to-die coupling loss, across a 140 nm wavelength range between 1480 nm to 1620 nm. This hybrid integration plan can bridge different waveguide materials, supporting a much more comprehensive cross-platform integration.
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spelling doaj-art-a4fe4a96a9e04eddb3636497fdba987d2025-08-20T03:59:31ZengLight Publishing GroupLight: Advanced Manufacturing2689-96202025-01-015454255210.37188/lam.2024.046Photonic chiplet interconnection via 3D-nanoprinted interposerHuiyu Huang0https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2892-2712Zhitian Shi1https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2892-2712Giuseppe Talli2Maxim Kuschnerov3Richard Penty4Qixiang ChengCentre for Photonic Systems, Electrical Engineering Division, Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0FA, U.KCentre for Photonic Systems, Electrical Engineering Division, Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0FA, U.KHuawei Technologies Duesseldolf GmbH, European Research Center, Riesstraße 25, 80992 Munich, Duesseldolf, GemanyHuawei Technologies Duesseldolf GmbH, European Research Center, Riesstraße 25, 80992 Munich, Duesseldolf, GemanyCentre for Photonic Systems, Electrical Engineering Division, Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0FA, U.KIn the past several decades, photonic integrated circuits (PICs) have been investigated using a variety of different waveguide materials and each excels in specific key metrics, such as efficient light emission, low propagation loss, high electro-optic efficiency, and potential for volume production. Despite sustained research, each platform shows inherit shortcomings that as a result stimulate studies in hybrid and heterogeneous integration technologies to create more powerful cross-platform devices. This is to combine the best properties of each platform; however, it requires dedicated development of special designs and additional fabrication processes for each different combination of material systems. In this work, we present a novel hybrid integration scheme that leverages a 3D-nanoprinted interposer to realize a photonic chiplet interconnection system. This method represents a generic solution that can readily couple between chips of any material system, with each fabricated on its own technology platform, and more importantly, with no change in the established process flow for the individual chips. A fast-printing process with sub-micron accuracy is developed to form the chip-coupling frame and fiber-guiding funnel, achieving a mode-field-dimension (MFD) conversion ratio of up to 5:2 (from a SMF28 fiber to 4 µm × 4 µm mode in polymer waveguide), which, to the best of our knowledge, represents the largest mode size conversion using non-waveguided 3D nanoprinted components. Furthermore, we demonstrate such a photonic chiplet interconnection system between silicon and InP chips with a 2.5 dB die-to-die coupling loss, across a 140 nm wavelength range between 1480 nm to 1620 nm. This hybrid integration plan can bridge different waveguide materials, supporting a much more comprehensive cross-platform integration.https://www.light-am.com/article/doi/10.37188/lam.2024.046edge couplermode size conversionphotonic integrationoptical interposer
spellingShingle Huiyu Huang
Zhitian Shi
Giuseppe Talli
Maxim Kuschnerov
Richard Penty
Qixiang Cheng
Photonic chiplet interconnection via 3D-nanoprinted interposer
Light: Advanced Manufacturing
edge coupler
mode size conversion
photonic integration
optical interposer
title Photonic chiplet interconnection via 3D-nanoprinted interposer
title_full Photonic chiplet interconnection via 3D-nanoprinted interposer
title_fullStr Photonic chiplet interconnection via 3D-nanoprinted interposer
title_full_unstemmed Photonic chiplet interconnection via 3D-nanoprinted interposer
title_short Photonic chiplet interconnection via 3D-nanoprinted interposer
title_sort photonic chiplet interconnection via 3d nanoprinted interposer
topic edge coupler
mode size conversion
photonic integration
optical interposer
url https://www.light-am.com/article/doi/10.37188/lam.2024.046
work_keys_str_mv AT huiyuhuang photonicchipletinterconnectionvia3dnanoprintedinterposer
AT zhitianshi photonicchipletinterconnectionvia3dnanoprintedinterposer
AT giuseppetalli photonicchipletinterconnectionvia3dnanoprintedinterposer
AT maximkuschnerov photonicchipletinterconnectionvia3dnanoprintedinterposer
AT richardpenty photonicchipletinterconnectionvia3dnanoprintedinterposer
AT qixiangcheng photonicchipletinterconnectionvia3dnanoprintedinterposer