A fiber optic device connector will enable the development of a new generation in optical computer technology. By developing an optical interconnect that connects to the transmit and detector elements mounted in the device will improve system performance through increased data transmission rates, lower power consumption, opto-isolation of all I/O and a enabling of the single point ground philosophy. Current fiber optic systems use discrete devices to covert the light pulses from the fiber optic cable into electrical signals. These signals are then conducted to the next device using a printed wiring board to high-count I/O packages. These signals are then demultiplexed down to a lower data rate required by the lower speed, low power technologies. As a consequence the I/O increases to maintain the data rate. I/O power is a significant contributor to the overall power consumption of the IC. By integrating the transmitter, detector and fiber optic cable connection into the device package the device I/O pin count can be reduced. This allows a significant reduction in the device power requirements that are needed to drive the I/O and an increase in the data transfer rates by not having to leave the device package.These efforts will offer major savings on device power consumption, inherent radiation hardness, increased reliability through elimination of solder joints, increased immunity from electrical noise and crosstalk
