Monolithic ultra-broadband transimpedance amplifiers using AlGaAs/GaAs heterojunction bipolar transistors

Author

Nagano, Nobuo ; Suzaki, Tetsuyuki ; Soda, Masaaki ; Kasahara, Kensuke ; Takeuchi, Takeshi ; Honjo, Kazuhiko

Author_Institution

Microelectron. Res. Lab., NEC Corp., Ibaraki, Japan

Volume

42

Issue

1

fYear

1994

fDate

1/1/1994 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

2

Lastpage

10

Abstract

Monolithic ultra-broadband transimpedance amplifiers are developed using AlGaAs/GaAs HBTs. To realize good amplifier performances, two factors are mentioned: an affordable HBT fabrication process using the self-aligned method and an optimized circuit design considering large signal operations. The developed HBT fabrication process achieves excellent uniformity in DC characteristics and the effect on amplifier microwave performances, derived from the discrete device uniformity, is estimated. Amplifier circuit configurations are designed by harmonic balance simulation using the extracted large signal device parameters The fabricated amplifier exhibits a DC to 13.4-GHz bandwidth with an 18.1-dB gain. Fairly good uniformity is also achieved for the amplifier microwave performances. An optical receiver module is constructed mounting the developed HBT amplifier and InGaAs p-i-n photodiode chips. The optical receiver module provides a 9.4-GHz bandwidth and an optical receiver sensitivity of -15.7 dBm at 10-Gb/s data rate

Keywords

III-V semiconductors; MMIC; aluminium compounds; bipolar integrated circuits; gallium arsenide; heterojunction bipolar transistors; microwave amplifiers; optical receivers; wideband amplifiers; 10 Gbit/s; 13.4 GHz; 18.1 dB; 9.4 GHz; AlGaAs-GaAs; AlGaAs/GaAs; DC characteristics; HBT amplifier; HBT fabrication process; InGaAs; InGaAs p-i-n photodiode chips; harmonic balance simulation; heterojunction bipolar transistors; large signal operation; microwave performance; monolithic amplifiers; optical receiver module; optimized circuit design; ultra-broadband transimpedance amplifiers; Bandwidth; Design optimization; Fabrication; Gallium arsenide; Heterojunction bipolar transistors; Microwave amplifiers; Microwave devices; Operational amplifiers; Optical amplifiers; Optical receivers;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Microwave Theory and Techniques, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9480

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/22.265521

Filename

265521