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Co-Design of BW-Enhanced Dual-Path Driver and Segmented Microring Modulator for Energy Efficient Si-Photonic
Yingjie Ma1,2, Bolun Cui1,2, Guike Li1,2
1The State Key Laboratory of Semiconductor Physics and Chip Technologies, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100083, China.
Micromachines
|March 28, 2026
Summary
This study introduces a novel broadband driver for silicon microring modulators (MRMs) essential for high-speed artificial intelligence computing. The feedforward technique enhances electro-optical bandwidth, enabling faster data transmission with improved signal quality.
Area of Science:
- Photonics
- Integrated Optics
- Electrical Engineering
Background:
- Artificial intelligence (AI) demands high-performance optical transceivers for chip-to-chip communication.
- Silicon microring modulators (MRMs) offer compact size and wavelength-division multiplexing but face bandwidth limitations for high-speed data rates.
- Conventional drivers struggle to meet the bandwidth and extinction ratio requirements for 100 GBaud class PAM4 transmission.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a broadband driver for dual-segment MRMs to overcome bandwidth limitations.
- To enhance electro-optical bandwidth while maintaining high Q-factor and extinction ratio for advanced optical transceivers.
- To enable 200 Gb/s PAM4 transmission for AI computing systems.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a feedforward technique to split input signals into low- and high-frequency components.
- Drove long and short segments of the MRM with specialized drivers: broadband low-pass and programmable bandpass, respectively.
- Employed an equivalent electro-optical model with constant group-delay constraints for design space optimization.
Main Results:
- Achieved a 3 dB electro-optical bandwidth improvement from ~50 GHz to >70 GHz at 1310 nm.
- Demonstrated a clear open eye for a 200 Gb/s PAM4 optical signal.
- Reported energy efficiency of 1.44 pJ/bit and an improved extinction ratio from 2 dB to 4.1 dB.
Conclusions:
- The proposed feedforward driver effectively extends electro-optical bandwidth for silicon MRMs.
- This technique facilitates tunable electro-optical co-design for high-bandwidth-density, high-extinction-ratio silicon photonic transmitters.
- The solution addresses critical needs for next-generation AI computing infrastructure.
