Electro-optic comb-driven massive data transmission on monolithically integrated lithium niobate photonic circuits
Abstract
Driven by large AI models, the demand for datacenter interconnects is outstripping traditional scaling laws. This necessitates a transition toward dense multiplexing techniques, such as wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM), for datacenter environments, transferring long-haul spectral efficiency to short-reach, high-bandwidth applications. Integrated optical frequency combs offer compact, low-cost light sources for future datacenter WDM interconnects. However, existing Kerr comb and mode-locked laser implementations suffer from drawbacks in power efficiency, spectral flatness and phase noise. Their fixed, device-specific channel spacings often conflict with standard WDM grids, and co-integration with high-speed modulators remains challenging. Here, we overcome these limitations by demonstrating high-capacity data transmission using flat-top electro-optic combs on thin-film lithium niobate (TFLN), a platform featuring flat spectra, tunable wavelengths and comb spacing, alongside native compatibility with (de-)multiplexers and high-speed modulators. Using 46 wavelength channels from two lasers and a 50-GHz on-chip electro-optic comb, we realize 16.56 Tb/s coherent transmission over a 98.84-km deployed fiber link between two universities and two datacenters in Hong Kong, verifying its suitability for inter-datacenter connections. To highlight grid reconfigurability, we reconfigure the comb to 100-GHz spacing via an on-chip demultiplexer and demonstrate 10-channel, 80-GBaud coherent transmission at 6.4 Tb/s. We further report a proof-of-concept monolithic WDM transmitter integrating the comb and high-speed modulator, achieving 19-channel, 45-GBaud IM/DD transmission at 1.71 Tb/s. Our work validates TFLN electro-optic combs as flexible, compact and scalable WDM engines for both coherent and IM/DD datacenter links to satisfy rapidly rising bandwidth requirements.
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BibTeX
@misc{chen2026electrooptic,
title = {{Electro-optic comb-driven massive data transmission on monolithically integrated lithium niobate photonic circuits}},
author = {Yikun Chen and Chuang Xu and Ke Zhang and Xiong Wu and Kangping Zhong and Xiangzhi Xie and Hanke Feng and Yifan Wu and Chao Lu and Alan Pak Tao Lau and Cheng Wang},
howpublished = {arXiv},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.48550/arxiv.2610.34821},
eprint = {2610.34821},
archivePrefix = {arXiv},
url = {https://arxiv.org/abs/2610.34821},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - Electro-optic comb-driven massive data transmission on monolithically integrated lithium niobate photonic circuits
AU - Yikun Chen
AU - Chuang Xu
AU - Ke Zhang
AU - Xiong Wu
AU - Kangping Zhong
AU - Xiangzhi Xie
AU - Hanke Feng
AU - Yifan Wu
AU - Chao Lu
AU - Alan Pak Tao Lau
AU - Cheng Wang
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/26
PB - arXiv
DO - 10.48550/arxiv.2610.34821
UR - https://arxiv.org/abs/2610.34821
AB - Driven by large AI models, the demand for datacenter interconnects is outstripping traditional scaling laws. This necessitates a transition toward dense multiplexing techniques, such as wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM), for datacenter environments, transferring long-haul spectral efficiency to short-reach, high-bandwidth applications. Integrated optical frequency combs offer compact, low-cost light sources for future datacenter WDM interconnects. However, existing Kerr comb and mode-locked laser implementations suffer from drawbacks in power efficiency, spectral flatness and phase noise. Their fixed, device-specific channel spacings often conflict with standard WDM grids, and co-integration with high-speed modulators remains challenging. Here, we overcome these limitations by demonstrating high-capacity data transmission using flat-top electro-optic combs on thin-film lithium niobate (TFLN), a platform featuring flat spectra, tunable wavelengths and comb spacing, alongside native compatibility with (de-)multiplexers and high-speed modulators. Using 46 wavelength channels from two lasers and a 50-GHz on-chip electro-optic comb, we realize 16.56 Tb/s coherent transmission over a 98.84-km deployed fiber link between two universities and two datacenters in Hong Kong, verifying its suitability for inter-datacenter connections. To highlight grid reconfigurability, we reconfigure the comb to 100-GHz spacing via an on-chip demultiplexer and demonstrate 10-channel, 80-GBaud coherent transmission at 6.4 Tb/s. We further report a proof-of-concept monolithic WDM transmitter integrating the comb and high-speed modulator, achieving 19-channel, 45-GBaud IM/DD transmission at 1.71 Tb/s. Our work validates TFLN electro-optic combs as flexible, compact and scalable WDM engines for both coherent and IM/DD datacenter links to satisfy rapidly rising bandwidth requirements.
ER -