Electro-optic co-design for next generation silicon optical transmitters

This paper discusses our progress on high-speed optical transmitters for next generation intra-datacenter interconnects. Silicon integrated photonic systems have a key role to play in this evolution by allowing compact, fast, innovative and cost-effective devices to be manufactured in large volumes. Especially silicon Mach-Zehnder modulators are a very attractive candidate: they are easy to manufacture, easy to use and support both intensity as well as coherent modulation. Key to the next-generation optical transmitter is not only the very high datarates, but also the very small form-factor and low power consumption. This requires leveraging electro-optic co-design of driver electronics and optical modulators.