Two-bounce free-space arbitrary interconnection architecture

The two bounce free-space arbitrary interconnection architecture is introduced. It is requires 3 stages of local electronic routing and 2 passes, or bounces, through a common retro-reflective optical system. The concept combines the global optical interconnection with the minimum nonblocking multistage interconnection network, the Benes network, to achieve arbitrary interconnections across a multichip backplane. The arbitrary interconnection requires only one additional pass through the optical system. The architecture is experimentally validated with a optical module and a fiber coupled LED and detector array to simulate the smart pixel I/O placement in the backplane of the module. The architecture is further evaluated using VCSEL arrays and a CCD camera for resolution and registration measurements.