Based on Amdahl scaling of tree-networks, we show that in the next 10 years power efficiency and cost of data center communication networks have to improve with three orders of magnitude. Flattened network architectures may allow for more efficient scaling but require high-radix network switches. In turn, such switches will require opto-electronic conversion in close proximity of the switch ASIC. In this paper, we focus on three-dimensional die-stacked transceiver ICs that allow for low cost fabrication and packaging that may enable flattened network architectures based on highradix switches.

Date Published: 8 March 2014
PDF: 7 pages
Proc. SPIE 8989, Smart Photonic and Optoelectronic Integrated Circuits XVI, 898909 (8 March 2014); doi: 10.1117/12.2042417

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 8989:
Smart Photonic and Optoelectronic Integrated Circuits XVI
Louay A. Eldada; El-Hang Lee; Sailing He, Editor(s)