20–25 Gbit/s low-power inductor-less single-chip optical receiver and transmitter frontend in 28 nm digital CMOS. Issue 8 (2nd May 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Szilágyi, László; Belfiore, Guido; Henker, Ronny; Ellinger, Frank
• Editors: Madjar, Asher; Rosen, Arye
• Is Part Of: International journal of microwave and wireless technologies. Volume 9:Issue 8(2017)
• Page Start: 1667
• Page End: 1677
• Publication Date: 2017-05-02
• Subjects: RF front-ends, -- Active circuits, -- Broadband amplifiers; Wireless communication systems -- Periodicals; Microwave circuits -- Periodicals; Radio frequency -- Periodicals; 621.381305
• DOI: 10.1017/S1759078717000472
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1759-0787

Abstract

Abstract : The design of an analog frontend including a receiver amplifier (RX) and laser diode driver (LDD) for optical communication system is described. The RX consists of a transimpedance amplifier, a limiting amplifier, and an output buffer (BUF). An offset compensation and common-mode control circuit is designed using switched-capacitor technique to save chip area, provides continuous reduction of the offset in the RX. Active-peaking methods are used to enhance the bandwidth and gain. The very low gate-oxide breakdown voltage of transistors in deep sub-micron technologies is overcome in the LDD by implementing a topology which has the amplifier placed in a floating well. It comprises a level shifter, a pre-amplifier, and the driver stage. The single-chip frontend, fabricated in a 28 nm bulk-digital complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor (CMOS) process has a total active area of 0.003 mm 2, is among the smallest optical frontends. Without the BUF, which consumes 8 mW from a separate supply, the RX power consumption is 21 mW, while the LDD consumes 32 mW. Small-signal gain and bandwidth are measured. A photo diode and laser diode are bonded to the chip on a test-printed circuit board. Electro-optical measurements show an error-free detection with a bit error rate of 10 −12 at 20 Gbit/s of the RX at and a 25 Gbit/s transmission of the LDD.