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Ultra-High-Speed 2:1 Digital Selector and Plasmonic Modulator IM/DD Transmitter Operating at 222 GBaud for Intra-Datacenter Applications


Heni, Wolfgang, et al. “Ultra-high-speed 2: 1 digital selector and plasmonic modulator IM/DD transmitter operating at 222 GBaud for intra-datacenter applications.” Journal of Lightwave Technology 38.9 (2020): 2734-2739.


Abstract:

We demonstrate a 222 GBd on-off-keying transmitter in a short-reach intra-datacenter scenario with direct detection after 120 m of standard single mode fiber. The system operates at net-data rates of >200 Gb/s OOK for transmission distances of a few meters, and >177 Gb/s over 120 m, limited by chromatic dispersion in the standard single mode fiber. The high symbol rate transmitter is enabled by a high-bandwidth plasmonic-organic hybrid Mach–Zehnder modulator on the silicon photonic platform that is ribbon-bonded to an InP DHBT 2:1 digital multiplexing selector.

Requiring no driving RF amplifiers, the selector directly drives the modulator with a differential output voltage of 622 mVpp measured across a 50 Ω resistor. The transmitter assembly occupies a footprint of less than 1.5 mm × 2.1 mm.

Fig. 1. 222 GBd transmitter assembly consisting of an InP DHBT 2:1- digital selector (SEL) and plasmonic organic hybrid (POH) Mach–Zehnder modulator (MZM) on silicon photonics. The RF electrodes of the modulator are ribbon-bonded to the output stage of the SEL. The assembly requires less than 2.1 × 1.5-mm².