Integrated photonics for datacenter and server interconnects

In next generation datacenters where dynamic allocation and reconfiguration of resources will be key differentiators, I/O and interconnect networks will become both fundamental enablers - a critical building block, both in terms of performance and cost of operation. The adoption of integrated optical links into future systems however, will in turn also heavily depend on the ability of the optical technology to meet performance and cost targets at the component level. Packaging and integration of optics is even more challenging than electronic circuits. At IBM Research - Zurich, we are currently working on different integration schemes for optical interconnects, based on silicon photonics and polymer waveguide technologies. I will present the approaches we pursue and discuss the current status of the work and results.