Silicon-based all-optical multi microring (MMR) network-on-chip

An optical multi microring network-on-chip (MMR NoC) is proposed and evaluated through numerical simulations. The network architecture consists of a central resonating microring with local microrings connected to the input/output ports. A mathematical model based on the transfer matrix method is used to assess the MMR NoC performance and to analyze the fabrication tolerances. Results show that the proposed architecture exhibits a limited coherent crosstalk with a bandwidth suitable for 10 Gb∕s signals, and it is robust to coupling ratio variations and ring radii fabrication inaccuracies.