Title :
A 60-dB gain, 55-dB dynamic range, 10-Gb/s broad-band SiGe HBT limiting amplifier
Author :
Greshishchev, Yuriy M. ; Schvan, Peter
Author_Institution :
Nortel Networks, Ottawa, Ont., Canada
fDate :
12/1/1999 12:00:00 AM
Abstract :
A limiting amplifier IC implemented in a silicon-germanium (SiGe) heterojunction bipolar transistor technology for low-cost 10-Gb/s applications is described. The IC employs 20 dB gain limiting cells, input overload protection, split analog-digital grounds, and on-chip isolation interface with transmission lines. A gain enhancement technique has been developed for a parallel-feedback limiting cell. The limiting amplifier sensitivity is less than 3.5 mVpp at BER=10-9 with 2-Vpp maximum input (55-dB dynamic range). The total gain is over 60 dB, and S21 bandwidth exceeds 15 GHz at 10-mVpp input. Parameters S11 and S22 are better than -10 dB in the 10-GHz frequency range. The AM to PM conversion is less than 5 ps across input dynamic range. The output differential voltage can be set from 0.2 to 2 Vpp with IC power dissipation from 250 mW to 1.1 W. The chip area is 1.2×2.6 mm2. A 10-Gb/s optical receiver, built with the packaged limiting amplifier, demonstrated -19.6-dBm sensitivity. The IC can be used in 10-Gb/s fiber-optic receivers requiring high sensitivity and wide input dynamic range
Keywords :
Ge-Si alloys; bipolar analogue integrated circuits; digital communication; error statistics; heterojunction bipolar transistors; limiters; optical receivers; protection; semiconductor materials; sensitivity analysis; wideband amplifiers; 10 Gbit/s; 15 GHz; 20 dB; 250 mW to 1.1 W; 60 dB; BER; SiGe; SiGe HBT limiting amplifier; amplifier IC; broadband limiting amplifier; fiber-optic receivers; gain enhancement technique; heterojunction bipolar transistor technology; input overload protection; low-cost 10 Gb/s applications; onchip isolation interface; parallel-feedback limiting cell; split analog-digital grounds; Analog-digital integrated circuits; Application specific integrated circuits; Bipolar integrated circuits; Dynamic range; Germanium silicon alloys; Heterojunction bipolar transistors; Isolation technology; Optical amplifiers; Optical receivers; Silicon germanium;
Journal_Title :
Solid-State Circuits, IEEE Journal of