POLO: parallel optical links for workstation clusters and switching systems

A collaborative effort by the POLO (Parallel Optical Link Organization) Consortium to develop a 10-20-Gbit/s parallel optical link is described. The goal is to demonstrate a parallel- optical-link module that has a clear performance advantage over electrical interconnections and that uses components and packaging technologies that are potentially inexpensive. The members of the POLO Consortium include Hewlett-Packard, AMP, DuPont, and USC. The components that are integrated into the POLO interconnect module are vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs), polymer optical waveguides, PIN detector arrays, high-speed ceramic packaging, and bipolar silicon transceiver electronics. The POLO module will be connectorized for use with a duplex ribbon fiber connector. An application platform for the POLO module will be provided by the development of a workstation host interface chip set.