An auto-gain control transimpedance amplifier with low noise and wide input dynamic range for 10-Gb/s optical communication systems

This paper describes a 10-Gb/s transimpedance amplifier (TIA), fabricated in a 0.1-/spl mu/m-p-HEMT technology. To improve the optical overload characteristics, an automatic gain control (AGC) circuit is included. The measured results show excellent performance, transimpedance of 63.3 dB/spl Omega/ (1.46 k/spl Omega/), bandwidth of 8.0 GHz, and equivalent input noise current density of 6.5 pA/rtHz. When the bit error rate is 10/sup -9/, the minimum sensitivity and the optical overload are -21.2 dBm, +4.3 dBm, respectively, using a 0.8 A/W pin photodiode (PD). The power dissipation is about 0.5 W from a single -5-V supply. The die area is 1.3/spl times/1.6 mm/sup 2/.

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