A 5–50 GHz SiGe BiCMOS Linear Transimpedance Amplifier with 68 dB? Differential Gain towards Highly Integrated Quasi-Coherent Receivers

Quasi-coherent optical receivers have recently emerged targeting access networks, offering improved sensitivity and reach over direct-detection schemes at the expense of a higher receiver bandwidth. Higher levels system integration together with sufficiently wideband front-end blocks, in particular high-speed linear transimpedance amplifiers (TIAs), are currently demanded to reduce cost scale up data rates. In this article, we report on design testing TIA enabling quasi-coherent receivers. A shunt-feedback loaded common-base topology is adopted, gain control provided by subsequent Gilbert cell stage. The circuit was fabricated commercial 130 nm SiGe BiCMOS technology has bandpass characteristic 3 dB bandwidth range 5–50 GHz. differential 68 dB? measured, 896 mVpp maximum output swing 1 compression point. System experiments demonstrate an ?30.5 dBm (BER = × 10?3) 10 Gbps, ?26 25 Gbps. proposed represents component towards highly integrated