SiP Modulators for 400 Gbps on Single Wavelength in IM/DD Systems: Is This a Reality?Show others and affiliations
2025 (English)In: Int. Conf.Transparent Opt. Networks, IEEE Computer Society , 2025Conference paper, Published paper (Refereed)
Abstract [en]
We present high-speed transmission results using two of the most promising silicon photonic (SiP) modulators towards 400 Gbps per single wavelength in intensity modulation/direct detection (IM/DD) systems. A GeSi electro-absorption modulator (EAM) enables net data rates beyond 300 Gb/s, with successful transmission of 160 Gbaud PAM4 over 100 meters of single-mode fiber, achieving bit error rates (BER) below the 6.25% overhead hard-decision forward error correction (HD-FEC) threshold of 4.5×103. Similarly, a SiP differential-drive C-band traveling-wave Mach-Zehnder modulator (TW-MZM) supports 175 Gbaud and 160 Gbaud PAM4, also meeting the HD-FEC requirement after 100 meters of SMF transmission. Results on 256 Gbaud OOK are also included for comparison purposes. While further improvements are needed, particularly in reducing optical losses, managing self-heating, and improving driver integration, these modulators represent leading candidates for pushing IM/DD links toward the 400 Gbps per wavelength target in future short-reach optical interconnects.
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
IEEE Computer Society , 2025.
Keywords [en]
GeSi electro-absorption modulator, intensity modulation/direct detection, on-off keying, pulse amplitude modulation, traveling-wave Mach-Zehnder modulator, Amplitude shift keying, Bit error rate, Electroabsorption modulators, Forward error correction, Light modulation, Optical communication, Optical interconnects, Optical signal processing, Optical systems, Photonic devices, Silicon compounds, Silicon photonics, Single mode fibers, Transmissions, Direct-detection, Electroabsorption modulator(EAM), Intensity modulations, Mach Zehnder modulator, On/off-keying, Pulse amplitude, Traveling-wave mach-zehnde modulator, Travelling waves
National Category
Telecommunications
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:ri:diva-79238DOI: 10.1109/ICTON67126.2025.11125323Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-105016211653OAI: oai:DiVA.org:ri-79238DiVA, id: diva2:2023031
Conference
25th Anniversary International Conference on Transparent Optical Networks, ICTON 2025, Barcelona
Note
Conference paper; Granskad
2025-12-182025-12-182025-12-30Bibliographically approved