Channel modelling for Wireless Networks on Chip at Oprtical frequencies: simulations and measurements

Optical wireless networks-on-chip (OWiNoC) are considered as a promising solution to overcome the communication bottleneck due to wired interconnects in modern chip multiprocessor systems. The efficient implementation of optical wireless links requires considering many different aspects, including analysis and deep understanding of the effects on the propagation of the electromagnetic field induced by the discontinuities that can be found in a realistic scenario. Optical Wireless Networks on Chip have become an ambitious but attractive solution to increase computing performances in multi-core/multi-chip architectures. To assess the benefit of the wireless optical solution a truthful characterization of the wireless channel at the chip scale has to be carried out. Propagation in Optical Wireless Network on Chip occurs in a layered environment, where the layer thickness is often very small compared to the link distance: a high order of multiple reflections/refraction bounces is therefore necessary, triggering strong multipath effect. In this thesis the effectiveness of different propagation models, taking into account different propagation mechanisms are investigated, through comparison with measurements. The outcome will be a set of tools permitting the design and the performance evaluation of on-chip wireless optical communications as a function of the main parameters of the link components and geometries, including the presence of interference from other transmitters, opening the possibility to design new architectures for many-core and kilo-core CMPs.