A 46-GHz distributed transimpedance amplifier using SiGe bipolar technology

In this work we present a transimpedance amplifier (TIA) with a typical 3-dB bandwidth of 46 GHz, suitable for 40 Gb/s data communication links, realized in a commercial SiGe BiCMOS technology. The amplifier uses a traveling-wave topology and achieves a typical transimpedance of 47 dBΩ and a low input-referred current noise of 24 pA Hz-0.5 averaged between 0 and 40 GHz. The amplifier is especially designed to be integrated with a photodiode in a hybrid photoreceiver, using bond wire interconnects. A set of photoreceivers was successfully tested over a temperature range from 0 to 70 C. The low noise of the TIA results in a large dynamic range of the receivers and error-free operation was achieved up to an overload optical input power of more than +3 dBm.