Aberration analysis of beam-steering in the FAST-Net global interconnection system

The symmetry of the new hybrid optical shuffle concept cancels distortion the most stringent requirement of the high-density optical interconnection module. To achieve this, the approach takes advantage of the narrow beam nature of VCSELs to effect a symmetric interconnection system for each point-to-point link in the shuffle pattern without the need for any real apertures in the system. The net result is a hybrid micro/macro approach that has optimum light efficiency and achieves high registration accuracy across the multi-chip smart pixel. The required micro-optical elements amount to a discrete negative lens above each I/O cluster. Such elements may be readily fabricated with established diffractive optical techniques. As these elements are simple gratings or micro prisms the absolute alignment of such elements is not a critical aspect of this concept. Furthermore, since resolution requirements can be easily achieved by utilizing detectors that are somewhat larger than the VCSELs (50 μm as opposed to 10 μm), the overall design of the macro-optical lenses above the array will be significantly simplified