Coherent fiber bundle parallel optical links
A coherent fiber bundle may be used to optically connect an array of microLEDs to an array of photodetectors in an optical communication system.
1. An optical link for data communications between optical transmitters and optical receivers, comprising:
an optical transmitter array including a plurality of optical transmitter sub-arrays, each optical transmitter sub-array of the plurality of optical transmitter sub-arrays comprising a plurality of microLEDs;
a fiber bundle comprised of a plurality of sub-bundles, each sub-bundle comprised of a plurality of multimode fibers, each fiber including a core, each sub-bundle being a coherent fiber bundle, such that a spatially-sampled version of an optical distribution on a first face of the coherent fiber bundle is reproduced on a second face of the coherent fiber bundle, with relative positions of inputs of fibers the same as relative positions of outputs of fibers for fibers in each sub-bundle, but not for fibers in different sub-bundles, the cores of each sub-bundle of the plurality of sub-bundles to receive light from a corresponding one of the optical transmitter sub-arrays; and
an optical receiver array including a plurality of optical receiver sub-arrays, each optical receiver sub-array of the plurality of optical receiver sub-arrays comprising a plurality of photodetectors, each optical receiver sub-array of the plurality of optical receiver sub-arrays to receive light from cores of the fiber bundle.
2. The optical link of claim 1 , wherein the optical transmitter array is of a first optical transceiver associated with a first semiconductor chip.
3. The optical link of claim 1 , wherein the optical receiver array of a second optical transceiver associated with a second semiconductor chip.
4. The optical link of claim 1 , wherein the microLEDs are attached to a first substrate.
5. The optical link of claim 1 , wherein the photodetectors are mounted to a second substrate.
6. The optical link of claim 1 , wherein the microLEDs are mounted to an IC that also includes microLED drive circuitry.
7. The optical link of claim 1 , wherein the photodetectors are monolithically integrated with receiver circuits.
8. The optical link of claim 1 , wherein light from each microLED is coupled into only a single core.
9. The optical link of claim 8 , wherein each photodetector is to receive light from only a single core.
10. The optical link of claim 1 , wherein light from each microLED is coupled into multiple cores.
11. The optical link of claim 10 , wherein a plurality of photodetectors are to receive light generated by each microLED.
12. The optical link of claim 1 , further comprising at least one turning mirror to direct light from the microLEDs towards inputs of the fiber bundle.
13. The optical link of claim 1 , further comprising a turning mirror for each optical transmitter sub-array, to direct light from microLEDs of the optical transmitter sub-array towards inputs of the sub-bundle associated with the optical transmitter sub-array.
14. The optical link of claim 1 , further comprising an input array optical coupling assembly coupling the optical transmitter array and the fiber bundle.
15. The optical link of claim 14 , wherein the input array optical coupling assembly comprises a forty-five degree turning mirror that reflects light at ninety degrees relative to the light's input direction, a first lens positioned between the turning mirror and the microLEDs, and a second lens positioned between the turning mirror and the fiber bundle.