Multimode Fiber as Random Code Generator— Application to Massively Parallel MIMO Transmission

We propose a novel multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) scheme over multimode fiber, acting as a distributed random code generator fed by spatial codes, using silicon photonics in the transmitter and maximum-likelihood (ML) electronic detection in the receiver, providing an alternative to coarse wavelength division multiplexing (CWDM) for implementation of ultrahigh speed parallel transmission over short-range optical interconnects. The optical MIMO system utilizes mutually coherent transmission and conventional direct detection with one-bit quantization, facilitating cost-effective application to 100 Gb/s links over < 50 m.