High sensitivity InP-based monolithically integrated pin-HEMT receiver-OEIC's for 10 Gb/s

InP-based pin-HEMT receiver-OEIC's with different circuit layouts for bit rates up to 10 Gb/s are simulated, realized and characterized. The circuits under investigation are a high impedance amplifier, a common-gate circuit, and a transimpedance-cascode circuit. The high frequency behavior of all circuits is compared by means of on-wafer characterization. All circuits show a bandwidth of more than 5 GHz, the transimpedance circuit has the highest responsivity (12.9 dB A/W) and a very low average noise current of 11.5 pA//spl radic/(Hz) when assembled in a module. The receiver sensitivity of the transimpedance circuit in the module is measured to be as high as -19.2 dBm.>