A direct-current coupled, all-differential optical receiver for high-bit-rate SONET systems

The authors report a novel differential, integrated optical receiver capable of generating symmetric, complementary data signals at the preamplifier stage. The receiver offers superior bandwidth and common mode noise rejection over the conventional transimpedance receiver. A wide-bandwidth receiver implementation in which an InGaAs p-i-n photodiode is DC coupled between a pair of current-source circuits embedded in a GaAs/AlGaAs HBT preamplifier IC is demonstrated.<
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