Apple patents glass chip base that uses light to move data
Apple describes a computer chip structure built on a thick glass base instead of traditional materials. It uses tiny tunnels through the glass to connect electrical wires with light beams, allowing data to travel as light between different parts of the chip.
In the filing’s own words
A system in package structure and method of fabrication using wafer reconstitution are described. In an embodiment a 3D system includes a mid-layer interposer a first package level underneath the mid-layer interposer and a second package level over the mid-layer interposer. Second package level components can be bonded to the mid-layer interposer with metal-metal bonds and optionally dielectric-dielectric bonds, while the first package level components can be bonded to the mid-layer interposer with dielectric-dielectric and optionally metal-metal bonds. Dies within the first and/or second package levels may optionally be connected with one or more optical interconnect paths.
What exactly they claim (claim 1)
1. An optoelectronic assembly comprising: an interposer comprising: a glass bulk layer; a back-end-of-the-line (BEOL) build-up structure on the glass bulk layer, the BEOL build-up structure including one or more dielectric layers and metal wiring layers; a waveguide; and a plurality of through glass vias extending through the glass bulk layer and in electrical connection with the one or more wiring layers; and a plurality of second level components mounted on a top side of the interposer, the plurality of second level components including a first-second level component that includes an electrical-to-optical (EO) converter to transmit an optical signal through an optical path extending between the EO converter and the waveguide.
Facts
- Company
- Apple (Apple Inc.)
- Official title
- 3D System and Wafer Reconstitution with Mid-layer Interposer
- Publication number
- US20260309944A1
- Application number
- 19706467
- Filed
- Jun 12, 2026
- Published
- Oct 8, 2026
- Inventors
- 2
- Claims
- 17
Classified under
G02B 6/428 Physics & computingG02B 6/4279 Physics & computingG02B 6/4283 Physics & computingG02B 6/4293 Physics & computingMore from Apple in Chips & hardware
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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.