Invited Speaker
Lu Zhang
Associate Professor, Zhejiang University, ChinaSpeech Title: Beyond 400G: Paving the Way for Next-Generation Optical Interconnects
Abstract: As data centers and B5G/6G networks face exploding bandwidth demands, single-channel optical interconnects operating beyond 400 Gb/s are emerging as a pivotal technology. In this race, IM/DD systems remain strategically indispensable for short-reach applications, offering unrivalled power and cost efficiencies over coherent alternatives. This work tackles the two core hurdles, through a multi-dimensional optimization framework that unites device engineering, advanced modulation design, and AI-native signal processing. Looking forward, we identify the convergence of probabilistic shaping, end-to-end learning-based transceiver optimization, and cutting-edge silicon photonics as the transformative triad that will unlock single-channel 400 Gb/s operation while sustaining ultra-high energy efficiency.
Biography: Lu Zhang is a tenured associate professor at Zhejiang University. He has been consistently featured on the Stanford/Elsevier World's Top 2% Scientists annual impact list. He earned his Ph.D. from Shanghai Jiao Tong University and pursued joint doctoral training at the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) in Sweden, supported by the China State Scholarship Fund. His research spans high-speed optical transmission, photonics-assisted mm-wave/THz communication and sensing, and intelligent photonic processing. With over 100 publications in top-tier journals such as Nature Communications, Advanced Photonics, along with multiple Post-Deadline Papers at OFC, ECOC, and ACP, his work has garnered more than 4,000 citations, reflecting significant academic influence in the field.