Error-free graded-index plastic optical fiber for 53.125 Gb/s PAM4 transmission with DSP-free transceivers

The growth of ultra-high-definition (UHD) and artificial intelligence (AI) applications has increased the need for high-capacity data transmission in servers and computers. To meet this demand, high-speed interconnects employ multilevel modulation, such as four-level pulse-amplitude modulation (PAM4), which is sensitive to noise, potentially resulting in higher bit error rate (BER) compared to conventional binary modulation. To address BER degradation, various signal processing techniques are required in transceivers, including forward error correction, clock and data recovery, and signal equalization, which are typically performed by digital signal processors (DSPs). However, these processes increase the power consumption and communication latency. Here, we present a novel graded-index plastic optical fiber (GI POF) that enables error-free data transmission (BER < 10^-12) of 53.125 Gb/s PAM4 even with non-DSP transceivers. The proposed GI POF paves the way for innovative interconnects with high speed, low power consumption, and low latency crucial for AI and UHD applications.