BUILDING MANY-CORE PROCESSOR-TO-DRAM NETWORKS WITH MONOLITHIC CMOS SILICON PHOTONICS

SILICON PHOTONICS IS A PROMISING TECHNOLOGY FOR ADDRESSING MEMORY BANDWIDTH LIMITATIONS IN FUTURE MANY-CORE PROCESSORS. THIS ARTICLE FIRST INTRODUCES A NEW MONOLITHIC SILICON-PHOTONIC TECHNOLOGY, WHICH USES A STANDARD BULK CMOS PROCESS TO REDUCE COSTS AND IMPROVE ENERGY EFFICIENCY, AND THEN EXPLORES THE LOGICAL AND PHYSICAL IMPLICATIONS OF LEVERAGING THIS TECHNOLOGY IN PROCESS OR-TO-MEMORY NETWORKS.