Partial Symbol Detection Based Energy-Efficient Receiver for Short-Reach Optical Communication

This thesis presents an energy-efficient architecture for optical receivers, targeting silicon photonic solutions for next-generation data centers. It introduces a partial symbol detection (MSB)-based equalization scheme that can significantly reduce hardware complexity for multilevel signaling. The design detects MSB bits from the incoming signal and uses MSB decisions to mitigate ISI from MSB transitions. This transforms the PAM-4 eye into a partially ISI-removed PAM-2 eye, reducing the number of comparators needed for a 1-tap PAM-4 DFE implementation from 12 to 4. Simulations show the equalizer can equalize up to 66% of ISI, enabling reliable operation at 112 Gb/s. The architecture, post-layout extracted and simulated in 12nm-FinFET technology consumes 108.84mW at 112Gb/s using PAM-4 modulation. The receiver features TIA and CTLE followed by 8-way time-interleaved signal processing unit that corrects pre- and post-cursor ISI. The inverter-based TIA topology provides 70dB gain, 29.65GHz bandwidth, and 1.594μA input-referred noise.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Applied Science (M.App.Sc.)

Level thesis:degree_level

Master's

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Engineering, Electrical and Computer

Grantor dc:publisher

Carleton University

Year dc:date.issued

2025

Author dc:creator

• Jose, Sidney

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright © 2025 the author(s). Theses may be used for non-commercial research, educational, or related academic purposes only. Such uses include personal study, distribution to students, research and scholarship. Theses may only be shared by linking to the Carleton University Institutional Repository and no part may be copied without proper attribution to the author; no part may be used for commercial purposes directly or indirectly via a for-profit platform; no adaptation or derivative works are permitted without consent from the copyright owner.

Language dc:language.iso

en

DOI

10.22215/etd/2025-16432

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:carleton.scholaris.ca:20.500.14718/43575