Semiconductor integrated circuit

Abstract

A semiconductor integrated circuit according to an example of the present invention includes a chip substrate, first and second switches arranged on the chip substrate in which ON/OFF of an electrical signal path is directly controlled by an optical signal, a first light shielding layer arranged above the chip substrate, an optical waveguide layer arranged on the first light shielding layer, a second light shielding layer arranged on the optical waveguide layer, a reflecting plate arranged in the optical waveguide layer to change an advancing direction of the optical signal, and means for leading the optical signal to the first and second switches from an inside of the optical waveguide layer. The first and second light shielding layers reflect the optical signal, and the optical waveguide layer transmits the optical signal radially.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A semiconductor integrated circuit comprising:
 a chip substrate;   a plurality of first optical waveguide layers and a plurality of first light shielding layers alternately stacked above the chip substrate;   a plurality of first reflecting plates arranged inside the plurality of first optical waveguide layers to change an advancing direction of an optical signal; and   a plurality of first vertical holes connecting the plurality of first optical waveguide layers,   wherein the plurality of first light shielding layers reflect the first optical signal, the plurality of first optical waveguide layers transmit the first optical signal radially, and the first optical signal moves among the plurality of first optical waveguide layers via the plurality of first vertical holes.   
     
     
         2 . The semiconductor integrated circuit according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein a light incident hole which captures the first optical signal is provided on a first light shielding layer farthest from the chip substrate among the plurality of first light shielding layers, and a light emission hole which takes out the first optical signal is provided on a first light shielding layer closest to the chip substrate among the plurality of first light shielding layers.   
     
     
         3 . The semiconductor integrated circuit according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the first optical signal is emitted from an element on the chip substrate toward a first light shielding layer farthest from the chip substrate, and a light emission hole which takes out the first optical signal is provided on a first light shielding layer closest to the chip substrate among the plurality of first light shielding layers.   
     
     
         4 . The semiconductor integrated circuit according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein a light incident hole which captures the first optical signal is provided on the chip substrate, a light emission hole which takes out the first optical signal is provided on a first light shielding layer closest to the chip substrate among the plurality of first light shielding layers, and the first optical signal is emitted from outside of the light incident hole toward a first optical waveguide layer farthest from the chip substrate.   
     
     
         5 . The semiconductor integrated circuit according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a photoelectric conversion element which is formed on the chip substrate and converts the first optical signal emitted from the light emission hole into an electrical signal.   
     
     
         6 . The semiconductor integrated circuit according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the first optical signal is a clock expressed by flickering of light, and a signal path of the first optical signal constitutes a three-dimensional low skew tree structure.