Speed and energy analysis of digital interconnections: Comparison of on-chip, off-chip, and free-space technologies

Gökçe I. Yayla, Philippe J. Marchand, Sadik C. Esener

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

88 Scopus citations

Abstract

We model and compare on-chip (up to wafer scale) and off-chip (multichip module) high-speed electrical interconnections with free-space optical interconnections in terms of speed performance and energy requirements for digital transmission in large-scale systems. For all technologies the interconnections are first modeled and optimized for minimum delay as functions of the interconnection length for both one-to-one and fan-out connections. Then energy requirements are derived as functions of the interconnection length. Free-space optical interconnections that use multiple-quantum-well modulators or vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers as transmitters are shown to offer a speed-energy product advantage as high as 30 over that of the electrical interconnection technologies.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)205-227
Number of pages23
JournalApplied Optics
Volume37
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 10 1998
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics
  • Engineering (miscellaneous)
  • Electrical and Electronic Engineering

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