0.18-microm complementary metal-oxide semiconductor push-pull vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser driver operating at 2.5 Gb/s with symmetric rising and falling edges.

A vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) driver design that utilizes a novel push-pull circuit topology is described. The VCSEL driver design can provide both a current pushing and a current pulling mechanism and therefore is capable of producing symmetric rise and fall times. The design was implemented in a 0.18-microm foundry n-well complementary metal-oxide semiconductor technology and operates at data rates up to 2.5 Gb/s with a power consumption of 45 mW at an average optical output power of 1 mW.