A 1.06 Gb/s -31 dBm to 0 dBm BiCMOS optical preamplifier featuring adaptive transimpedance

The main features desired for optical data link receiver front-ends are high sensitivity and wide dynamic range. A preamplifier implemented in a 1 /spl mu/m 20 GHz BiCMOS process is presented. The adaptive transimpedance scheme featured in this design provides a means of widening the dynamic range without sacrificing sensitivity. The measured maximum input current handling capability of 1 mA average (0dBm) with a single 5 V supply, facilitates loop-back testing. The chip exhibits sensitivity better than -31 dBm for BER of 10/sup -9/ at data rate of 1.06 Gb/s. This level of performance is comparable or exceeds reported results in more exotic GaAs MESFET using dual 5 V supply voltages.