System-level modeling and simulation of the 10G optoelectronic interconnect

Mixed-signal multidomain systems present a challenge for computer-aided design tools. Optical and electronic simulation tools are available as separate entities. However, to date, successful system-level cosimulation has not been implemented, leading to expensive refabrication. We present a unique system-level simulation tool for mixed electrooptical systems. We apply our tool Chatoyant to the simulation of an optical high-speed free-space interconnect system designed for 10-GHz speeds. The 10G free-space optical interconnect module has optical, optoelectronic, and microwave components and thus is an ideal vehicle to use as a test system. We demonstrate how Chatoyant, a mixed-signal multidomain simulator, has been used to evaluate end-to-end performance of this complex system, including the exploration of design tradeoffs and mechanical tolerancing.