Next-generation computing clusters require ultra-high-bandwidth optical interconnects to support large-scale artificial-intelligence applications. These electronic–photonic co-integrated systems necessitate densely integrated high-speed electro-optical converters. In this context, microring modulators (MRMs) emerge as a promising solution, prized for their exceptional compactness and energy efficiency. Nevertheless, their potential is curtailed by inherent challenges, such as pronounced frequency chirp and dynamic nonlinearity. Moreover, a comprehensive understanding of their coherent dynamics is still lacking, which further constrains their applicability and efficiency. Consequently, these constraints have confined their use to spectrally inefficient intensity-modulation direct-detection links. Here we present a thorough study of MRM coherent dynamics, unlocking phase as a new dimension for MRM-based high-speed data transmission in advanced modulation formats. We demonstrate that the phase and intensity modulations of MRMs exhibit distinct yet coupled dynamics, limiting their direct application in higher-order modulation formats. This challenge can be addressed by embedding a pair of MRMs within a Mach–Zehnder interferometer in a push–pull configuration, enabling a bistable phase response and unchirped amplitude modulation. Furthermore, we show that its amplitude frequency response exhibits a distinct dependency on frequency detuning compared with phase and intensity modulations of MRMs, without strong peaking near resonance. Harnessing the ultrafast coherent dynamics, we designed and experimentally demonstrated an ultra-compact, ultra-wide-bandwidth in-phase/quadrature modulator on a silicon chip fabricated using a complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor-compatible photonic process. Achieving a record on-chip shoreline bandwidth density exceeding 5 Tb s⁻¹ mm⁻¹, our device enabled coherent transmission for symbol rates up to 180 Gbaud and a net bit rate surpassing 1 Tb s⁻¹ over an 80 km span, with modulation energy consumption as low as 10.4 fJ bit⁻¹.

下一代计算集群需要超高带宽的光互连来支持大规模人工智能应用。这些电子-光子共集成系统需要密集集成的高速电光转换器。在这种情况下，微环调制器 （MRM） 成为一种很有前途的解决方案，因其出色的紧凑性和能源效率而备受推崇。然而，它们的潜力受到固有挑战的限制，例如明显的频率啁啾和动态非线性。此外，仍然缺乏对它们的连贯动态的全面理解，这进一步限制了它们的适用性和效率。因此，这些限制使它们的使用仅限于频谱效率低下的强度调制直接检测链路。在本文中，我们介绍了对 MRM 相干动力学的全面研究，将相位解锁为基于 MRM 的高速数据传输的高级调制格式的新维度。我们证明 MRM 的相位和强度调制表现出独特但耦合的动力学，限制了它们在高阶调制格式中的直接应用。这一挑战可以通过在推挽配置中嵌入一对 MRM 来解决这个问题，从而实现双稳态相位响应和无毛度幅度调制。此外，我们表明，与 MRM 的相位和强度调制相比，其幅度频率响应表现出对频率失谐的明显依赖性，并且在共振附近没有强烈的峰值。 利用超快相干动力学，我们在硅芯片上设计并实验演示了一种超紧凑、超宽带宽的同相/正交调制器，该调制器使用互补金属氧化物-半导体兼容的光子工艺制造。我们的器件实现了超过 5 Tb s⁻¹ mm⁻¹ 的片上海岸线带宽密度，在 80 km 的跨度内实现了高达 180 Gbaud 的符号速率和超过 1 Tb s⁻¹ 的净比特率的相干传输，调制能耗低至 10.4 fJ bit⁻¹。