Chip-to-chip photonic packaging by using thin glass based waveguide substrates on board and module level

Electrical-optical integration on board and module level is a rapidly growing field with a strong potential for applications in data and telecom. The driving forces are bandwidth demand, power efficiency and increased channel density. For higher degrees of integration thin glass substrates provide very promising options. The platform technology called “glassPack” relies on the realization of passive single mode and multi mode optical waveguides within the thin glass substrates and benefits of the excellent optical, chemical, and thermal properties of glass. Suitable technologies like ion-exchange and direct optical fiber butt coupling are used. The resulting waveguides are characterized by a graded refractive index profile. For electrical wiring thin film technologies can be applied and through glass vias have been demonstrated to address high frequency and high bandwidth applications. Furthermore planar waveguide array coupling elements of very flexible design can be applied for optical coupling and 90 degree light deflection. Applications of this kind of novel substrate technology on board and optical System in Package (SiP) level are high speed telecommunication and data systems, and sensors. First results using thin glass substrates with integrated optical interconnects as well as electrical wiring for SiP will be presented.