DC-1GB/S BURST-MODE COMPATIBLE RECEIVER FOR OPTICAL BUS APPLICATIONS

This paper describes the characteristics and performance of a high-speed, burst-mode compatible receiver for optical bus or packet communications. It employs an Si bipolar differential transimpedence amplifier, an auto-threshold tracking level control circuit, and a dc-coupled decision circuit (ECL compatible quantizer). To cope with intermittent data packets, the threshold control circuit can capture data amplitude and set the logic threshold in about 1 ns. Using an avalanche photodiode, the typical receiver sensitivity is -37.5 dBm (10(-9) BER) at bit rates up to 900 Mb/s, with a dynamic range of 23 dB for both pseudorandom and burst-mode signals. At 1 Gb/s, the sensitivity is -35 dBm. With a worst-case reset time < 100 ns for the threshold control circuit, this receiver can be used for optical bus applications where data signals with varying optical power are employed.