The purpose of this chapter is to provide the reader with a basic understanding of the optical receiver and the interplay between the components of the receiver as well as the influence of the source and transmission medium. The approach taken will be to present the material in a straightforward engineering manner, and to avoid, where possible, the use of long mathematical derivations. In this way it is hoped that an intuitive feel for receiver design will be gained. Those readers interested in the mathematical details will find them in the references cited.

Receiver design for optical fiber communication systems

In this paper, design aspects of high-speed digital and analog IC's are discussed which allow the designer to exhaust the high-speed potential of advanced Si-bipolar technologies. Starting from the most promising circuit concepts and an adequate resistance level, the dimensions of the individual transistors in the IC's must be optimized very carefully using advanced transistor models. It is shown how the bond inductances can be favourably used to improve circuit performance and how the critical on-chip wiring must be taken into account. Moreover, special modeling aspects and ringing problems, caused by emitter followers, are discussed. An inexpensive mounting technique is presented which proved to be well suited up to 50 Gb/s, the highest data rate ever achieved in any IC technology. The suitability of the design aspects discussed is confirmed by measurements of digital circuits and broadband amplifiers developed for 10 and 40 Gb/s optical-fiber links.

Design considerations for very-high-speed Si-bipolar IC's operating up to 50 Gb/s

The theory of highly elliptically birefringent fibers fabricated by spinning a linearly birefringent fiber during the draw is described. These fibers are particularly interesting for application as Faraday-effect fiber current monitors, since, in contrast to conventional fibers, they can be wound in small multiturn coils while retaining their sensitivity. The fiber and its application in three optical schemes are modeled using Jone calculus and are also experimentally investigated. A simple optical configuration is proposed, combining the elliptically birefringent fiber and a broad-spectrum light source. An accurate, compact, and robust current monitor is obtained. The sensor is characterized by a measurement repeatability of +or-0.5%, a temperature drift of 0.05%/ degrees C and a sensitivity of 1 mA RMS/Hz/sup 1/2/. Further, the performance of this sensor with optimized fiber length for a given measurement bandwidth is predicted. >

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Electric current sensors employing spun highly birefringent optical fibers

Receiver design for high-speed ptical-fiber systems

Design considerations for subscriber multiplexed (SCM) systems distributing multichannel analog/digital signals are reviewed. In particular, video distribution schemes based on lightwave transmission technologies are discussed. The two most important system design considerations in an SCM system are the control of intensity noise and nonlinear distortions. Intensity noise characteristics and degradation caused by optical reflections are discussed. Laser and detector linearity requirements are reviewed. System signal-to-noise ratio analysis is performed. Design considerations for receivers for SCM systems are reviewed, and various system applications are examined. >

Subcarrier multiplexed lightwave system design considerations for subscriber loop applications

We consider the design and implementation of a lownoise feedback receive amplifier for use in optical communication systems. The feedback amplifier configuration is advantageous in that it offers a wide bandwidth with good signal to noise ratio.

A Feedback Receive Amplifier for Optical Transmission Systems

A Percival coil connected between the photodetector and amplifier in the receiver of an optical communication system offers the possibility of improved signal-to-noise ratios (SNR's). When the photodetector is an avalanche diode, the modified receiver requires a lower value of avalanche gain for optimum performance.

A Modified Receiver for Optical Transmission Systems

A Percival coil connected between the photodetector and amplifier in the receiver of a digital optical communication system offers the possibility of a reduced signal power requirement for a given bit error rate. When the photodetector is an avalanche diode, the modified receiver requires a lower value of avalanche gain for optimum performance.

J. Hullett

Papers

A Feedback Receive Amplifier for Optical Transmission Systems

A Modified Receiver for Optical Transmission Systems

A Modified Receiver for Digital Optical Fiber Transmission Systems