Graphene‐Based Athermal Silicon Photonic Optical Transmitter Operating Beyond 100 Gbps

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Authors: Qing Meng, Jipeng Fu, Ziao Tian, Y. Cai, Miao Zhang, Zheng Wang, Zengfeng Di
Cited by: 2
References: 55

Abstract

ABSTRACT The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence technologies has imposed unprecedented demands on high‐density and energy‐efficient optical interconnects. Silicon photonic (SiPh) chips offer a promising solution by enabling the integration of hundreds of photonic devices within a millimeter‐scale footprint using standard semiconductor fabrication processes. However, the high thermo‐optic coefficient of silicon (Si) poses a significant challenge to achieving energy‐efficient operation, especially under varying thermal conditions. Therefore, athermal designs that eliminate the need of active temperature control are highly desirable. Here, we design and experimentally demonstrate an athermal silicon photonic optical transmitter, realized through heterogeneous integration of graphene on a silicon nitride (SiN) photonic integrated circuit fabricated in a standard 200 mm SiPh pilot line. The transmitter supports data transmission rates exceeding 100 Gbps over a temperature range from 20°C to 60°C, with temperature‐induced relative bandwidth fluctuations remaining below 3%. Our work paves the way for scalable and cost‐effective SiPh solutions with enhanced thermal stability, meeting the growing interconnect demands of next‐generation computing infrastructure.

Fields of Study & Subjects

Photonic and Optical Devices Advanced Fiber Laser Technologies Plasmonic and Surface Plasmon Research

Publication details

Journal / source
Laser & Photonics Review
Publisher
Wiley
Volume
20
Issue
10
Publication date
15 January 2026
Language
EN