BiCMOS optical receiver with 54.7 dB voltage-controlled sensitivity range

An optical receiver with an integrated pin photodiode in 0.6 mum BiCMOS technology is presented. The transimpedance is continuously voltage-controlled. A linearity error smaller than 2.8%, a sensitivity range of 541 (54.7 dB), an offset voltage less than 13.7 mV, a bandwidth up to 277 MHz, a power consumption less than 4.3 mW, and a transimpedance bandwidth product up to 166 TOmegaHz, are achieved.