Modal crosstalk in Silicon photonic multimode interconnects.

We investigate modal crosstalk in silicon photonic MDM-based interconnects using tapered multiplexers. Crosstalk from coherent optical interference originates from variation in the physical structure and alters the transmission link performance. Through simulations and experimental work, optical crosstalk as a function of wavelength is analyzed to understand its impact in MDM and MDM-WDM dual-multiplexing applications. The detrimental effects are validated in the frequency and time domains through fabricated MDM interconnects of various lengths. Results indicate modal crosstalk must be < -22 dB to maintain a BER of 10. The experimental methodology assesses the optical modal crosstalk's impact on the data, towards a mitigation approach to improve the payload signal integrity and enable system-level optimization such as channel wavelength allocation.