High sensitivity gigabit data rate GaAs1-xSbxavalanche photodiode 1.06 µ optical receiver

Measurements are described on a complete 1.06µ optical receiver which gives subnanosecond light pulse response and has a sensitivity, even without avalanche gain, of 375 photons/pulse (for a peak signal to rms noise ratio of unity; this figure is proportionately improved with avalanche gain). This receiver utilizes a new inverted homo-heterostructure GaAs1-xSbxavalanche photodiode which has a 1.06µ quantum efficiency of 96% and junction capacitance of about 0.1pf, hybrid-integrated with a special feedback-mode (transimpedance-type) GAASFET preamp with an input capacitance of 0.28pf and a feedback resistance of 5000Ω. The receiver is capable of modelocked pulse data reception up to a 1.4 Gb/s data rate (before intersymbol interference becomes excessive).