Louri As device speeds rise, communication rather than device speed becomes the limiting factor in performance and cost of high-performance computing systems. Optical interconnects offer the potential for high-speed, scalable communications that can keep up with progress in devices. This research explores the application of free-space optics to high-density interconnects that are capable of bandwidth, interconnect density, and error rates far beyond the capabilities of current electrical interconnects and backplanes. The approach consists of: 1. developing suitable optical network topologies; 2. identifying optical implementation techniques and required devices; 3. identifying interface components; 4. developing modeling and simulation techniques for evaluating the performance of the chosen topologies and implementations; and 5. physically implementing and measuring some of the resulting networks.
