An apparatus having a segmented optical modulator includes an optical waveguide having three or more segments. Each of three or more optical modulators includes a corresponding waveguide segment and is configured to apply an optical modulation that is proportional to the length of the segment. Three or more electrical contacts receive respective bit values of binary values. Each binary value includes at least three bit values including a least significant bit (LSB) bit value, a most significant bit (MSB) bit value, and at least one intermediate bit (IB) bit value between the LSB bit value and the MSB bit value. At least one waveguide segment of a corresponding optical modulator receiving an LSB bit value is positioned between a first waveguide segment of a corresponding optical modulator receiving an MSB bit value and a second waveguide segment of a corresponding optical modulator receiving an IB bit value.