This presentation explores the potential of extending Pulse Amplitude Modulation 4 (PAM4) technology to 400 Gigabit Ethernet and beyond. The speaker, drawing on their experience at Intel and the Optical Internetworking Forum (OIF), emphasizes that sticking with PAM4, despite its challenges, brings notable benefits such as backward compatibility, lower power consumption, reduced costs, and enhanced latency. Key factors to consider include improvements in bandwidth, signal-to-noise ratio, and channel connectivity, while also recognizing the trade-offs of higher-order modulation schemes. The analysis indicates that with advancements in silicon technology and packaging design, achieving 400 Gigabit Ethernet using PAM4 is indeed feasible.
