Integrated photonic receiver enabling parallel electronic processing for cost effective high-speed data communications

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A novel photoreceiver architecture for short reach interconnects supporting the next generation data centers is proposed towards the development of a commercially viable prototype. A proof-of-concept was fabricated in a Silicon Photonics process, an important technology for high-volume manufacturing of photonic devices. The novel approach was recently validated at data rates of 10 and 20 Gb/s where the electronic operating frequency requirement is significantly reduced by exploiting an optical sampling method. However, for this demonstration the electronic processing had to be performed offline. The novel approach was filed as a U.S. provisional patent.This project goal is to implement fully functional prototypes integrating both the optical and electronic integrated circuits in order to demonstrate the real time performance of the novel architecture. The project focuses on the co-design and co-packaging of the optical and electronic front-ends. It will begin with the development of an electronic front-end for the demonstrated optical front-end and both will be co-packaged onto a ceramic carrier. Following this, a 2nd generation towards 100/400 Gb/s data communication will be implemented within this one-year project. Strong and experienced postdoctoral fellows and graduate students with the required background have been identified for this project.The novel photoreceiver is of high interest to several industrial partners as it has the prospect of important power consumption savings. Canadian-based companies Ranovus, Reflex Photonics, and AEPONYX, and a multinational company based in Ottawa, Huawei Canada, are supporting this project with strong expressed interest towards its application to 400G Ethernet. Indeed, the proposed approach offers a lower cost solution for the growing market of 100/400 Gb/s technologies in next generation computing systems. The project will potentially enable our Canadian industrial partners to enter this competitive market more quickly and establish a leadership position.