Phase-locked coherent optical interconnects for data links

In large-scale digital systems, propagation delay and power consumption of the interconnects are vastly larger than that of the transistors themselves [1,2]. Reduced power consumption, and increased capacity is required for interconnects, whether on-chip, between circuit boards, or within large data centers. Here we will consider coherent optical interconnects for high-capacity, sub-km links within data centers. At the other extreme of interconnect length, we will also briefly consider alternative approaches for reduced CV²/2 switching energy of VLSI interconnects.