"However, silicon photonics has one big problem, which is that it is a high insertion loss modulator. You need an enormous amount of laser power to make up for the fact that you’re going to lose roughly 15 dB between the laser and the way out. So to reduce power, the best technology is actually not silicon photonics, but newer technologies, including thin film lithium niobate and barium titanate, and there are others doing organic modulators and even graphene modulators."

Makes a lot of sense why POET considered the Lithium Niobate deal a big deal for them. We are moving in the right direction.