Systems for differential optical signaling

According to one embodiment, a system for transmitting differential optical signals can include an optical modulation device, a multi-core optical waveguide, and a balanced optical receiver. The optical modulation device can include at least one optical input port and multiple optical output ports. The optical modulation device can transform the optical input signal into multiple complimentary modulated optical signals that are transmitted from the multiple optical output ports. The multi-core optical waveguide can include multiple cores disposed within a cladding material. The multiple cores, the cladding material, or both can be configured to mitigate transmission of optical energy between the multiple cores. The balanced optical receiver can include multiple photodetectors. The balanced optical receiver can be communicatively coupled to the multiple cores of the multi-core optical waveguide. Each of the multiple photodetectors can transform at least one of the multiple complimentary modulated optical signals into an electrical signal.