Patent ID: 8615145

Claim:
An integrated circuit device, comprising: a metallization system comprised of a plurality of metal lines; a first plurality of circuit elements formed in and above a first semiconductor region, said first plurality of circuit elements being electrically coupled to said metallization system; a second plurality of circuit elements formed in and above a second semiconductor region, said second plurality of circuit elements being electrically coupled to said metallization system; an optical wave guide having a first end and a second end; a first opto-electronic component electrically coupled to said first plurality of circuit elements via said metallization system so as to electrically communicate with at least one circuit element of said first plurality of circuit elements, said first opto-electronic component being optically coupled to said first end of said optical wave guide; and a second opto-electronic component electrically coupled to said second plurality of circuit elements via said metallization system so as to electrically communicate with at least one circuit element of said second plurality of circuit elements, said second opto-electronic component being optically coupled to said second end of said optical wave guide, said optical waveguide being adapted to transmit an optical signal between said first and second opto-electronic components while circumventing said metallization system.