Fully packaged 11 Gb/s parallel processing decision circuit using sub-micron silicon bipolar ICs

The authors have designed and implemented a submicron silicon bipolar parallel processing master-slave D-type flip-flop decision circuit, operating at data rates as high as 11 Gb/s. This is the fastest reported decision circuit for silicon bipolar technology. The ICs used in the hybrid circuit were fabricated using a 0.6 micron, non-polysilicon emitter technology, and mounted in a package employing coplanar waveguides. The performance of the IC indicates that silicon bipolar technology, with its relatively mature process and proven reliability as well as its low-cost potential, could play an important role in high-speed lightwave communication systems with data rates of up to 10 Gb/s or higher