My explanation #1:
At the moment, I’m not sure links are not available to these papers but I will keep checking to see when there’s a link.
I reviewed the ECOC 2023 white paper submissions prior to the conference and I found one in particular from Nokia that demonstrated a plasmonic ring resonator modulator. This was a familiar device, because it was a structure that we’ve already seen Polariton create with LWLG’s materials. This paper was on Polariton's website for their ECOC activity, but the interesting "twist" is below.
Title: Up to 256GBd PAM Transmission Using a Plasmonic Ring Resonator Modulator
Abstract: We test plasmonic ring resonator (RRM) for ultrafast optical intensity modulation and successfully demonstrate 256-GBd PAM-2, 186-GBd PAM-4, 168-GBd PAM-6, 160-GBd PAM-8, and 128-GBd PAM-12 transmission over 150-m standard single mode fiber. Record net bitrate 373-Gbit/s is achieved for RRM-based short-reach IM/DD link.
Notable quote: “These results are, to the best of our knowledge, the highest symbol rate and net bitrate demonstrated using plasmonic technology and/or micro-ring type modulator”.
This application is ideal for short-reach interconnects and co-packaged optics. This device retains all advantages of plasmonic modulators of size and bandwidth, but does not suffer from high insertion losses as seen in the plasmonic MZ structure. As we’ve also seen from Polariton/LWLG, the thermal tuning issues that are known to plague ring modulators is solved by the addition of the EO polymer.
A relationship between Nokia and Polariton is not news, however the way this white paper was structured makes it appear that the work is coming only from Nokia. There is an acknowledgement section at the end that thanks Polariton and Lightwave Logic. The previous paper on this device came from Polariton with a couple Nokia scientists as co-authors. This change may appear minor, but is significant IMO. Is this device ready to take the next step?
In one of Lebby’s presentations earlier this summer, he made a very interesting comment where he said the May licensing agreement could have been with more than one company. It was a very minor ‘slip’ perhaps, but also in hindsight maybe explains this new relationship IMO.
We know the May licensing agreement is with a company that has their own device design. We know that Polariton is using LWLG’s polymer in their plasmonic ring resonator. And now it appears that this technology is being used/transfered to Nokia in some fashion.
While I don’t know for sure how a business arrangement would be structured here, I think it is safe to say that the May licensing agreement is multi-party between Polariton and Nokia.
Explanation #2:
A second white paper was published by Polariton on an entirely new class of modulator involving LWLG – a coherent plasmonic IQ modulator.
This device is a long-reach modulator that transmits data over 100km at data-rates of 774Gbit/s using 64QAM modulation.
This is the first demonstration of a high-speed optical coherent transmitter using a dual-drive plasmonic IQ modulator.
This significance here for LWLG is that it confirms that Perkinamine is suitable for coherent/long-reach transmission. Up until now, I don’t believe we have seen any direct evidence of this. I expect to see demonstrations in the near-future of LWLG creating standard silicon-organic MZ modulators for coherent transmission.
My primary critique of all this information is that high volume manufacturing and packaging of plasmonic devices is still unknown at this point according to public information. The 1st example with Nokia could be the first indication these efforts are taking their “next step” in commercialization.
AI
