Integrated transceiver with lightpipe coupler

1. A communication system comprising:

a transceiver comprising a plurality of CMOS chips, a first of said plurality of CMOS chips comprising optical and optoelectronic devices and at least a second of said plurality of CMOS chips comprising electronic devices;

wherein a semiconductor laser communicates an optical source signal into said first CMOS chip via one or more optical couplers, said optical source signal for generating first optical signals that are transmitted from said first CMOS chip to optical fibers coupled to said first CMOS chip via one or more optical couplers; and

wherein second optical signals are received from optical fibers and converted to electrical signals via one or more photodetectors of said first CMOS chip.

2. The communication system according to claim 1 , wherein said optical devices comprise waveguides and couplers.

3. The communication system according to claim 1 , wherein said optoelectronic devices comprise modulators and optical switches.

4. The communication system according to claim 1 , wherein said one or more photodetectors are integrated in said first CMOS chip.

5. The communication system according to claim 1 , wherein said one or more photodetectors are mounted on said first CMOS chip.

6. The communication system according to claim 1 , wherein said semiconductor laser is mounted on said first CMOS chip.

7. The communication system according to claim 1 , wherein said transceiver is operable to communicate said optical source signal from said semiconductor laser into said first CMOS chip via one or more optical fibers.

8. The communication system according to claim 1 , wherein said transceiver is operable to communicate said optical source signal in to a top surface of said first CMOS chip.

9. The communication system according to claim 1 , wherein said transceiver is operable to communicate said first optical signals out of a top surface of said first CMOS chip.

10. The communication system according to claim 1 , wherein said transceiver is operable to communicate said electrical signals to said at least a second of said plurality of CMOS chips.

11. A method for communicating signals, the method comprising:

in a transceiver comprising a plurality of CMOS chips, a first of said plurality of CMOS chips comprising optical and optoelectronic devices and at least a second of said plurality of CMOS chips comprising electronic devices:

communicating an optical source signal from a semiconductor laser into said first CMOS chip via one or more optical couplers;

generating using said optical source signal, first optical signals;

transmitting said first optical signals from said first CMOS chip to optical fibers coupled to said first CMOS chip via one or more optical couplers;

receiving second optical signals from optical fibers; and

converting said second optical signals to electrical signals via one or more photodetectors in said first CMOS chip.

12. The method according to claim 11 , wherein said optical devices comprise waveguides and couplers.

13. The method according to claim 11 , wherein said opto-electronic devices comprise modulators and optical switches.

14. The method according to claim 11 , wherein said one or more photodetectors are integrated in said first CMOS chip.

15. The method according to claim 11 , wherein said one or more photodetectors are mounted on said first CMOS chip.

16. The method according to claim 11 , wherein said semiconductor laser is mounted on said first CMOS chip.

17. The method according to claim 11 , comprising communicating said optical source signal from said semiconductor laser into said first CMOS chip via one or more optical fibers.

18. The method according to claim 11 , comprising communicating said optical source signal in to a top surface of said first CMOS chip.

19. The method according to claim 11 , comprising communicating said first optical signals out of a top surface of said first CMOS chip.

20. The method according to claim 11 , comprising communicating said electrical signals to said at least a second of said plurality of CMOS chips.

21. A communication system comprising:

a transceiver comprising a plurality of CMOS chips;

wherein a semiconductor laser communicates an optical source signal into a first CMOS chip of said plurality of CMOS chips, said optical source signal for generating first optical signals that are transmitted from said first CMOS chip to optical fibers coupled to said first CMOS chip; and

wherein second optical signals are received from optical fibers and converted to electrical signals.

22. The communication system according to claim 21 , wherein one or more of said plurality of CMOS chips comprise optical devices, and said optical devices comprise waveguides and couplers.

23. The communication system according to claim 21 , wherein one or more of said plurality of CMOS chips comprise optoelectronic devices, and said optoelectronic devices comprise modulators and optical switches.

24. The communication system according to claim 21 , wherein said transceiver is operable to convert said second optical signals to electrical signals via one or more photodetectors of said first CMOS chip.

25. The communication system according to claim 24 , wherein said one or more photodetectors are integrated in said first CMOS chip.

26. The communication system according to claim 24 , wherein said one or more photodetectors are mounted on said first CMOS chip.

27. The communication system according to claim 21 , wherein said semiconductor laser is mounted on said first CMOS chip.

28. The communication system according to claim 21 , wherein said transceiver is operable to communicate said optical source signal from said semiconductor laser into said first CMOS chip via one or more optical fibers.

29. The communication system according to claim 21 , wherein said transceiver is operable to communicate said optical source signal in to a top surface of said first CMOS chip.

30. The communication system according to claim 21 , wherein said transceiver is operable to communicate said first optical signals out of a top surface of said first CMOS chip.

31. The communication system according to claim 21 , wherein said transceiver is operable to communicate said electrical signals to said at least a second of said plurality of CMOS chips.

32. The communication system according to claim 21 , wherein said transceiver is operable to communicate said optical source signal into said first CMOS chip via one or more optical couplers.

33. The communication system according to claim 32 , wherein said optical couplers comprise grating couplers.

34. The communication system according to claim 21 , wherein said transceiver is operable to transmit said first optical signals from said first CMOS chip via one or more optical couplers.

35. The communication system according to claim 34 , wherein said optical couplers comprise grating couplers.

36. A method for communicating signals, the method comprising:

in a transceiver comprising a plurality of CMOS chips:

communicating an optical source signal from a semiconductor laser into a first CMOS chip of said plurality of CMOS chips;

generating using said optical source signal, first optical signals;

transmitting said first optical signals from said first CMOS chip to optical fibers coupled to said first CMOS chip;

receiving second optical signals from optical fibers; and

converting said second optical signals to electrical signals.

37. The method according to claim 36 , wherein one or more of said plurality of CMOS chips comprise optical devices, and said optical devices comprise waveguides and couplers.

38. The method according to claim 36 , wherein one or more of the said plurality of CMOS chips comprise optoelectronic devices, and said optoelectronic devices comprise modulators and optical switches.

39. The method according to claim 36 , wherein said transceiver is operable to convert said second optical signals to electrical signals via one or more photodetectors of said first CMOS chip.

40. The method according to claim 36 , wherein said one or more photodetectors are integrated in said first CMOS chip.

41. The method according to claim 36 , wherein said one or more photodetectors are mounted on said first CMOS chip.

42. The method according to claim 36 , wherein said semiconductor laser is mounted on said first CMOS chip.

43. The method according to claim 36 , comprising communicating said optical source signal from said semiconductor laser into said first CMOS chip via one or more optical fibers.

44. The method according to claim 36 , comprising communicating said optical source signal in to a top surface of said first CMOS chip.

45. The method according to claim 36 , comprising communicating said first optical signals out of a top surface of said first CMOS chip.

46. The method according to claim 36 , comprising communicating said electrical signals to said at least a second of said plurality of CMOS chips.

47. The method according to claim 36 , comprising communicating said optical source signal into said first CMOS chip via one or more optical couplers.

48. The method according to claim 47 , wherein said optical couplers comprise grating couplers.

49. The method according to claim 36 , comprising transmitting said first optical signals from said first CMOS chip via one or more optical couplers.

50. The method according to claim 49 , wherein said optical couplers comprise grating couplers.