Interconnect structure for e/o engines having impedance compensation at the integrated circuits' front end

Abstract

The present invention relates to an interconnect structure for coupling at least one electronic unit for outputting and/or receiving electric signals, and at least one optical unit for converting said electric signals into optical signals and/or vice versa, to a further electronic component. The interconnect structure comprises an electrically insulating substrate () and a plurality of signal lead pairs () to be coupled between said electronic unit () and a front end contact region () for electrically contacting said interconnect structure by said further electronic component. A ground plane layer () is electrically insulated from said pairs of signal leads (), wherein each pair of signal leads () has a circuit connecting region () for electrically contacting respective terminals of said at least one electronic unit (), and wherein in a region adjacent to said terminals of said at least one electronic unit () said ground plane layer () has a plurality of clearances () that are each allocated to one pair of signal leads () and separated from a respective neighboring clearance.