Optical interconnections on PCBs - recent developments

Optical interconnections on printed circuit boards are a promising approach to increase the bandwidth in future links. This paper gives an overview of available materiak and technologies which are used for creating PCB-integrated optical waveguides and indicates some of these as promising approaches. Integrated waveguides require new concepts for optical connecting with electro-optical devices. Possible methods of light coupling into optical structures are described with their advantages and drawbacks. On the basis of few recent concepts, current trends in this field are shown.