Wide dynamic range parallel feedback transimpedance amplifier for 10 Gb/s optical links

Abstract

This paper presents the design and implementation of a new wide dynamic range parallel feedback (PF) transimpedance amplifier (TIA) for 10 Gb/s optical links. The wide dynamic range is attributed to the novel TIA architecture employing both shunt-shunt and shunt-series feedback networks. The outstanding features of the TIA are wide dynamic range, high gain, low power consumption and design simplicity. A prototype implemented in a 0.5 µm SiGe BiCMOS technology and operating at −3.3 V power supply features an 18.4 dBm dynamic range with a BER less than 10 −12 , an optical sensitivity of −16 dBm, optical overload of +2.4 dBm, a bandwidth of 8.27 GHz, a gain of 950 and a power consumption of 189 mW. The new parallel feedback architecture offers improved overload and noise performance when compared to previously reported, state of the art, single feedback TIA designs and meets all the 10 Gigabit Ethernet and short-reach OC-192 SONET specifications.

Design of CMOS broadband transimpedance amplifiers for 10Gbit/s optical communications

“…With the help of carefully studied circuit design techniques, CMOS optical preamplifiers are also able to achieve comparable performances to those III-V or SiGe counterparts yet maintain the merits of lowpower, low-cost and high-manufacturability. Finally, short-reach 10Gb/s data communication standards (OC-192 VSR, 10Gb/s Ethernet) have been specified with relaxed optical sensitivity requirements comparing to those long-haul optical transmission standards, which subsequently alleviates the design challenges using CMOS technology [24][25][26][27].…”

“…The optical receiver sensitivity sens P is defined as the minimum average optical power incident into the photodetector necessary to achieve a given bit error rate. 21 For DC balanced signal, according to ( [25][26]. For large input signal current levels, many transimpedance amplifiers produce severe pulse-width distortion and jitter.…”

Design of CMOS front-end receiver for wideband optical communication systems

“…The interval between lower end set by sensitivity and upper end set by overload current limit is termed as dynamic range of a receiver [40]. The specifications of receiver sensitivity and overload limit for SONET OC-192 and 10Gb/s Ethernet short distance standards are listed in Table 2-2 [55,56].…”