Two-dimensional 8×8 photoreceiver array and VCSEL drivers for high-throughput optical data links

Author

Hietala, Vincent M. ; Chun, Carl ; Laskar, Joy ; Choquette, Kent D. ; Geib, Kent M. ; Allerman, A.A. ; Hindi, J.J.

Author_Institution

Sandia Nat. Labs., Albuquerque, NM, USA

Volume

36

Issue

9

fYear

2001

fDate

9/1/2001 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

1297

Lastpage

1302

Abstract

Two custom GaAs integrated circuits (ICs) have been developed for enabling vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) arrays to be used for high throughput spatial division multiplexed (SDM) optical data links. A 16-channel driver IC was developed to drive the VCSEL array and an 8×8 monolithic photoreceiver, which spatially matches the VCSEL array, was developed for receive. Both of these circuits were fabricated in a standard commercial GaAs MESFET process with parasitic photodetectors used for the photoreceivers. Power dissipation and circuit size were primary design challenges for both circuits. The present 8×8 array size along with an estimated usable channel speed of 1 Gb/s allows for an aggregate throughput of 64 Gb/s

Keywords

III-V semiconductors; MESFET integrated circuits; driver circuits; gallium arsenide; integrated optoelectronics; optical receivers; semiconductor laser arrays; surface emitting lasers; 64 Gbit/s; GaAs; MESFET process; VCSEL drivers; aggregate throughput; circuit size; custom GaAs integrated circuits; high-throughput optical data links; parasitic photodetectors; power dissipation; spatial division multiplexed optical data links; two-dimensional 8×8 photoreceiver array; usable channel speed; Driver circuits; Gallium arsenide; Integrated optics; Monolithic integrated circuits; Optical arrays; Photonic integrated circuits; Stimulated emission; Surface emitting lasers; Throughput; Vertical cavity surface emitting lasers;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Solid-State Circuits, IEEE Journal of

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9200

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/4.944654

Filename

944654