{
  "patent_number": "US 20130230274",
  "country": "US",
  "title": "Flexible Silicon Chips That Send Data Using Light",
  "original_title": "Photonic flexible interconnect",
  "summary": "This patent describes a flexible silicon chip that uses light to send data between different parts of a computer, making connections faster and potentially more compact.",
  "what_it_does": "This patent describes a silicon photonic interconnect built on a silicon on insulator (SOI) substrate. It includes a waveguide, a tiny path for light, that has a specific 'first optical mode' (Claim 1). This interconnect is designed to exchange optical data with an integrated circuit (IC) through a 'coupling region' (Claim 1). A key feature is that this coupling region has a 'second optical mode larger than the first optical mode' (Claim 1), which helps light transfer efficiently. The interconnect can be made 'flexible' by adding a 'polymer layer' on the SOI substrate (Claim 2). It can connect to the IC using methods like 'evanescent coupling' (Claim 3), an 'optical grating' (Claim 4), or an 'etched taper' (Claim 5). It can also connect to external 'optical fiber connections' through a 'fiber coupling region' (Claim 7), which might use 'v-grooves' for alignment (Claim 8) or 'vertical couplers' to redirect light (Claim 9). For example, this technology could be used to create flexible optical cables that connect different processing units within a data center rack, replacing traditional electrical wires for higher speed.",
  "what_it_does_not_cover": [
    "Does not cover purely electrical interconnects that do not exchange 'optical data' (Claim 1).",
    "Does not cover silicon photonic interconnects where the coupling region's optical mode is not larger than the SOI waveguide's optical mode (Claim 1).",
    "Does not cover photonic interconnects built on substrates other than 'silicon on insulator (SOI)' (Claim 1).",
    "Does not cover optical coupling to components that are not 'integrated circuits' or 'optical fiber connections' as described (Claims 1, 7).",
    "Does not cover systems where the silicon photonic interconnect lacks a waveguide with a first optical mode (Claim 1)."
  ],
  "filed": "2012-03-05",
  "granted": null,
  "expires": "2032-03-05",
  "status": "active",
  "holder": "Individual",
  "holder_url": "https://patentbrief.org/company/individual",
  "inventors": [
    {
      "name": "Gregory Alan Fish",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/gregory-alan-fish"
    }
  ],
  "times_cited": 33,
  "tags": [
    "semiconductors",
    "telecommunications",
    "consumer_electronics",
    "data_centers"
  ],
  "abstract": "Embodiments of the invention describe a silicon photonic interconnect, formed from an SOI substrate, having a waveguide for receiving optical data from an integrated circuit. Said photonic interconnect may comprise a flexible interconnect including a polymer layer disposed on the SOI substrate. Said photonic interconnect may include an optical fiber component to send/receive optical data to/from optical components or devices. The waveguide of the silicon photonic interconnect may be formed for butt or evanescent coupling to the integrated circuit, may include an optical grating for coupling to the integrated circuit, or may include an etched taper for providing an adiabatic transition to a waveguide of the integrated circuit. The optical fiber interconnect component may be a taper to create large, fiber matched mode sizes or v-groove arrangements to enable alignment of optical fibers, or may include vertical couplers or evanescent couplers mode matched to optical fibers or fiber receptacles.",
  "url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/20130230274/photonic-flexible-interconnect",
  "markdown_url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/20130230274/photonic-flexible-interconnect/md",
  "google_patents_url": "https://patents.google.com/patent/US20130230274",
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}