SENECA COLLEGE

School of Electronics &Computer Engineering

Fiber Optics Communications

CHAPTER-7
OPTICAL RECEIVERS

By Harold Kolimbiris

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OPTICAL RECEIVERS

INTRODUCTION

 The fundamental function of an optical receiver is to convert modulated

optical power to a binary data stream.

 The block diagram of a typical optical receiver is illustrated in fig-1

1
2
155 Mb/s
3
155 Mb/s
Clock 4
155 Mb/s
155 Mb/s
 2.5 GHz
5
155 Mb/s
Data 6
7
155 Mb/s
AGC 155 Mb/s
TZ and 1:16 8
155 Mb/s
9
Optical fiber Amplifier Post Amp Clock Demux 10
155 Mb/s
11
155 Mb/s
recovery 12
155 Mb/s
13
155 Mb/s
PIN 155 Mb/s
Data 14
155 Mb/s
15
16
155 Mb/s
155 Mb/s

2.5Gb/s optical receiver block diagram Fig-1

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 The optical receiver of fi-1 is composed of :

 a) PIN photodetector diode, a transimpedance amplifier, an AGC post

amplifier, a clock and data recovery and a demultiplexer circuit.

 b) The function and operating characteristics of these circuits within the

optical receiver will be described in some detail is as follows.

 PIN photodetector
 The function of a PIN (P-region, I-intrinsic, N-region) semiconductor
diode is to convert the incident photon energy at the photodetector input
into electric current.

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 CLASSIFICATION OF OPTICAL RECEIVERS

 Optical receivers based on their operating characteristics can be
classified into three main categories:

 Fixed-threshold

 Edge detection

 Automatic gain control (AGC)

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 Fixed threshold optical receivers

 The simplest of all optical receivers is the fixed threshold receiver. Fig-2

PIN
R1
Diode

R2
Pre
+
Amp Data
Comparator
Out
-

Fixed threshold optical receiver Fig-2

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 In a fixed threshold optical receiver, the generated current from the PIN
photodetector diode is fed into the pre-amplifier

 The comparator circuit, compares the data with he threshold voltage

developed across R .
2

 If the voltage at the output of the pre-amplifier is higher than the data
threshold level, a high voltage level will appear at the output of the data
comparator

 The main advantage of the fixed threshold detector is based on the fact that
it can receive data of any pulse duration.

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 The receiver is capable of detecting data streams of variable duty cycles.

 Pulsewidth distortion
 Pulsewidth distortion is defined as the difference between the transmitted
pulsewidth and the received pulsewidth.

 Pulsewidth distortion is expressed by (t rec.  t trans. )

PWD   100
 Where, t trans.

 PWD=Pulsewidth distortion
 t =Transmitted pulsewidth
rec.

 t =Received pulsewidth
trans.

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 Edge detection optical receivers

 An improved version of the fixed threshold is the edge detection receiver.
A block diagram of such a receiver is illustrated in fig-3.
VCC

PIN
Diode

+ Data
VS out
Comp. Buffer S Q
R
Pre
-
Amp

C FF

Comp. Buffer C Q
VC
-

Edge detector optical receiver Fig-3

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 The edge detector optical receiver of fig-3 is composed of :

 a) Pre-amplifier circuit,
 b) Differentiator connected at the output of the pre-amplifier,
 c) Positive and a negative comparator
 d) Set-Clear FF.

 Operation
 The current generated by the PIN photodetector is converted to a voltage
level, differentiated and then fed into the comparator circuit.

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 The edge of the differentiated signal is compared with the fixed threshold
detector for a positive or negative slope.

 The detected edge is then fed into the SET or CLEAR, and the transmitted
data is recovered from the Q output of the FF.

 Fig-4 graphically illustrates the pulse shape between the input and the
output signals of an edge detection optical receiver.

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 Fig-4

INPUT

SET CLEAR

Input/output signal of an edge detection optical receiver Fig-4

 From the graph, it is evident that the output pulse is identical to the input
pulse, indicating a complete elimination of the pulse width distortion.

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 AGC optical receivers VCC

 The third and perhaps PIN

Diode
RF

most efficient optical

receiver is the automatic +
Data

gain control. Fig-5 Pre

Amp.
-
Amp. Buffer
out

illustrates the block Variable

gain
R
Level
diagram of this receiver. RAGC
detector

AGC optical receiver. Fig-5

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 The only disadvantage is that they are more complex and consequently
more expensive receivers.

 Operation
 The output of the variable gain amplifier is fed into the input of the buffer
and also into the level detector

 An increase of the output signal will proportionally increase the voltage

drop across with a corresponding decrease of the differential signal at
the input of the
R
AGC amplifier.

 Consequently the output signal will be reduced to its pre-determined level.

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 For a proper operation of the above receiver, certain conditions must be

met.

 For example, a 50% duty cycle is essential in order to ensure that

continually updated information is applied to the receiver

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 TRANSIMPEDANCE AMPLIFIERS
 The function of a transimpedance amplifier is to convert the generated
current from a photodetector diode into a voltage signal with a level that is
capable of driving an AGC post amplifier circuit.

 NORTEL AB52 155Mb/s and AB53 622Mb/s devices

 The block diagram of a transimpedance amplifier is illustrated in fig-6 .
The block diagram and the description of this transimpedance amplifier
are based on NORTEL AB52 -155Mb/s and AB53-622Mb/s devices.

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 Fig-6. The NORTEL AB52 155Mb/s and AB53 622Mb/s devices

Automatic gain control

Integrator Rectifier

Rf


+ Out
Output
TZ Amp
driver 
- Out
Input
current

Bandgap Power supply 

reference rejection

Photodetector

The NORTEL-AB52/53 Fig-6

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 The transimpedance amplifier of fig-6 is composed of the frond-end stage, the

driver stage, the automatic gain control (AGC) stage and the power supply
rejection stage

 The generated photocurrent from the PIN or APD photodetector diodes is fed into
the input of the transimpedance amplifier frond-end

 The level of this current must not exceed 2.6mA peak-to-peak.

 The input circuit of the front-end stage is designed for minimum noise at 155Mb/s
for the AB52 device, and minimum noise at 622Mb/s for the AB53 device.

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 In order to further enhance noise performance, separate power pins are

used for the front-end stage. A dynamic feedback resistor is used to
maintain the required constant output voltage.

 The output driver stage

 The function of the output driver stage is to develop a voltage swing of
150mV peak-to-peak into a 50 load, or of a 300mV peak-to-peak
differential into a 100 load.

 This relatively small voltage at the output of the driver stage is the
required voltage at the input of an AGC post-amplifier stage.

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 The driver output could either be single ended or double ended. When
single ended, a positive light at the input of the photodetector will generate
a positive voltage at the output of the driver circuit

 However, for a dual-ended operation, a positive light at the input of the

photodetector diode will also produce a negative voltage at the output of
the driver stage.

 The automatic gain control stage

 The function of the automatic control stage is to constantly monitor the
voltage levels at the driver output and to compare them with an internally
generated reference voltage.

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 If the voltage at the output of the driver exceeds the internal reference
voltage of the AGC control stage, the value of the feedback resistor () of
the front-end is automatically reduced through a long-time integrated
circuit, confining the driver output signal to its pre-determined level.

 The power supply rejection stage

 A problem which is always present and which is capable of reducing system
performance is the electronic noise induced by power supply variations .

 To eliminate the problem, a power supply rejection circuit has been

incorporated into the module.

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 This circuit is design to achieve an AC and DC power supply rejection

ratio on the order of –40dB for frequency variations up to 100KHz.

 If parasitic signals of a higher frequency are detected, then an external de-

coupling circuit will also be required.

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