Clocking of integrated circuits using photonics
View Patent ↗Embodiments of an integrated circuit are described. This integrated circuit includes: a clock-generator circuit configured to provide a clock signal; an optical clock path coupled to the clock-generator circuit; and a latch coupled to the optical clock path. This optical clock path is configured to distribute an optical signal corresponding to the clock signal. Furthermore, the optical clock path is configured to optically set a skew value for the optical signal, and is configured to selectively gate distribution of the optical signal to the latch based on activity of the latch. Note that the selective gating is performed optically.
1. An integrated circuit, comprising:
a clock-generator circuit configured to provide a clock signal;
an optical clock path coupled to the clock-generator circuit, wherein the optical clock path is configured to distribute an optical signal corresponding to the clock signal, and wherein the optical clock path is configured to optically set a skew value for the optical signal; and
a latch coupled to the optical clock path, wherein the optical clock path is configured to selectively gate distribution of the optical signal to the latch based on activity of the latch; and
wherein the selective gating is performed optically.
2. The integrated circuit of claim 1 , wherein while setting the skew value the optical clock path is configured to dynamically adjust the skew value.
3. The integrated circuit of claim 1 , wherein the optical clock path is configured to dynamically adjust the skew value based on activity of the integrated circuit.
4. The integrated circuit of claim 1 , wherein the optical clock path is configured to dynamically adjust the skew value based on a level of a power-supply signal on the integrated circuit.
5. The integrated circuit of claim 1 , wherein the optical clock path includes an optical waveguide.
6. The integrated circuit of claim 1 , wherein optical clock path is configured to set the skew value by modifying an index of refraction in the optical clock path.
7. The integrated circuit of claim 6 , wherein the optical clock path is configured to electrically modify the index of refraction by changing a number of charge carriers in the optical clock path, thereby changing a delay of the optical clock path.
8. The integrated circuit of claim 1 , wherein the optical clock path is configured to selectively gate distribution of the optical signal using an interferometer.
9. The integrated circuit of claim 8 , further comprising a temperature controller configured to maintain a temperature of the interferometer.
10. The integrated circuit of claim 1 , wherein the optical clock path is configured to selectively gate distribution of the optical signal using an electronically controllable diffraction grating.
11. The integrated circuit of claim 1 , wherein the optical clock path is configured to selectively gate distribution of the optical signal using evanescent coupling between the optical clock path and a ring resonator.
12. The integrated circuit of claim 11 , wherein the ring resonator is configured to be electrically tuned.
13. The integrated circuit of claim 12 , wherein the electrical tuning of the ring resonator changes a number of charge carriers in the ring resonator, thereby changing a resonance frequency of the ring resonator.
14. The integrated circuit of claim 11 , further comprising a temperature controller configured to maintain a temperature of the ring resonator.
15. The integrated circuit of claim 1 , wherein the skew value is non-zero.
16. The integrated circuit of claim 1 , further comprising a conversion element configured to convert the clock signal into the optical signal.
17. The integrated circuit of claim 1 , further comprising a conversion element configured to convert the optical signal into an electrical signal, wherein the conversion occurs prior to the latch.
18. The integrated circuit of claim 1 , wherein the latch includes an optical latch.
19. A computer system, comprising an integrated circuit, wherein the integrated circuit includes:
a clock-generator circuit configured to provide a clock signal;
an optical clock path coupled to the clock-generator circuit, wherein the optical clock path is configured to distribute an optical signal corresponding to the clock signal, and wherein the optical clock path is configured to optically set a skew value for the optical signal; and
a latch coupled to the optical clock path, wherein the optical clock path is configured to selectively gate distribution of the optical signal to the latch based on activity of the latch; and
wherein the selective gating is performed optically.
20. A method for providing a clock signal on an integrated circuit, comprising:
generating the clock signal;
distributing an optical signal corresponding to the clock signal to a latch using an optical clock path on the integrated circuit;
optically setting a skew value for the optical signal during the distribution; and
selectively gating distribution of the optical signal to the latch based on activity of the latch, wherein the selective gating is performed optically.