Scientific Challenge
Future AI and data-center systems require ultra-high-bandwidth optical interconnects with low power consumption and high integration density. Co-packaged optics (CPO) is a promising solution, but significant challenges remain in integrating photonic devices, wireline electronics, and high-speed interconnects within a compact package. The key challenge is to develop a heterogeneous RF interposer platform that simultaneously provides low insertion loss, minimal crosstalk, precise impedance control, thermal reliability, and cost-effective scalability while supporting both high-speed electrical and optical communication.
Research Objectives
The PhD aims to develop a holistic co-design methodology for next-generation co-packaged optical transceivers by:
Methodology
The research combines:
Demonstrators and Validation
The project will develop and experimentally validate high-speed optical transceiver demonstrators representative of future AI and hyperscale data center applications. The demonstrators will benchmark the performance of fully integrated and hybrid RF interposer-based implementations.
Expected Impact
The outcome will be a validated co-design framework and RF interposer technology platform enabling energy-efficient Tb/s optical interconnects. The research will provide design guidelines for future co-packaged optics systems while reducing silicon area, lowering power consumption, improving scalability, and accelerating deployment of AI and data-center optical connectivity solutions.
Keywords: Co-Packaged Optics (CPO), RF Interposer, Silicon Photonics, Wireline Transceivers, Heterogeneous Integration, AI Infrastructure, Data Centers, High-Speed Interconnects, Electronic-Photonic Co-Design
Required background: Electrical engineering, Nanotechnology,
Type of work: 70% modeling/simulation/design, 20% experiment, 10% literature
Supervisor: Xin Yin (UGent)
Co-supervisor: Xiao Sun
Daily advisor: Xiao Sun
The reference code for this position is 2027-106. Mention this reference code in your application.
Future AI and data-center systems require ultra-high-bandwidth optical interconnects with low power consumption and high integration density. Co-packaged optics (CPO) is a promising solution, but significant challenges remain in integrating photonic devices, wireline electronics, and high-speed interconnects within a compact package. The key challenge is to develop a heterogeneous RF interposer platform that simultaneously provides low insertion loss, minimal crosstalk, precise impedance control, thermal reliability, and cost-effective scalability while supporting both high-speed electrical and optical communication.
Research Objectives
The PhD aims to develop a holistic co-design methodology for next-generation co-packaged optical transceivers by:
- Designing low-loss RF interposer architectures optimized for optical interconnects.
- Co-optimizing passive RF structures, wireline electronics, and photonic components to minimize signal degradation and power consumption.
- Evaluating two integration approaches:
- Fully integrated EIC architecture, where active and passive functions are implemented on-chip.
- Hybrid RF interposer architecture, where active circuits remain on-chip while passive components and impedance matching networks are implemented in the package.
- Quantifying the trade-offs in performance, area, power efficiency, manufacturability, and cost between both approaches.
- Demonstrating a prototype co-packaged optical transceiver system on an RF interposer platform.
Methodology
The research combines:
- Electromagnetic (EM) and multi-physics simulation.
- Passive RF component design and optimization.
- Photonic-electronic circuit co-design.
- System-level modeling and co-optimization.
- Technology benchmarking and trade-off analysis.
- Fabrication and assembly of demonstrator systems.
- Experimental validation through high-frequency electrical, optical, thermal, and reliability measurements.
Demonstrators and Validation
The project will develop and experimentally validate high-speed optical transceiver demonstrators representative of future AI and hyperscale data center applications. The demonstrators will benchmark the performance of fully integrated and hybrid RF interposer-based implementations.
Expected Impact
The outcome will be a validated co-design framework and RF interposer technology platform enabling energy-efficient Tb/s optical interconnects. The research will provide design guidelines for future co-packaged optics systems while reducing silicon area, lowering power consumption, improving scalability, and accelerating deployment of AI and data-center optical connectivity solutions.
Keywords: Co-Packaged Optics (CPO), RF Interposer, Silicon Photonics, Wireline Transceivers, Heterogeneous Integration, AI Infrastructure, Data Centers, High-Speed Interconnects, Electronic-Photonic Co-Design
Required background: Electrical engineering, Nanotechnology,
Type of work: 70% modeling/simulation/design, 20% experiment, 10% literature
Supervisor: Xin Yin (UGent)
Co-supervisor: Xiao Sun
Daily advisor: Xiao Sun
The reference code for this position is 2027-106. Mention this reference code in your application.
