Dynamic range boosting for wireless optical receivers

This paper presents a dynamic range boosting technique for wireless optical receivers. This technique changes the feedback impedance of the transimpedance amplifier by the control of multiple parallel transistors in the triode region. This strategy results in a wide controllable gain amplifier, without extra signal-to-noise ratio penalties. A front-end with 20 MHz bandwidth, maximum transimpedance gain of 130 dB /spl Omega/ and a minimum dynamic range of 60 dB is implemented with this technique for wireless optical Ethernet and ATM applications.