Direct detection / intensity modulation

Detection
Noise

Thermal noise spontaneous fluctuation due to
thermal interaction

R
KTB
i
t
4
2
=
Detection
Dark current noise; Shot noise on the
photocurrent (random fluctuations about the
average particle flow)

d d
eBI i 2
2
=
Detection
Quantum noise; Determined by statistics of
photon arrival and follows a discrete probability
distribution.
Poisson distribution
Z = photons in time t
Zm = variance


!
) exp(
) (
z
z z
z P
m
z
m

=
Detection
Zm = average no of photons detected in time
period
hf
P
z
m
t q
0
=
1
) 1 (
) (
+
+
=
z
m
z
m
z
z
z P
Detection
Digital signaling Quantum noise; (lower limit to
the energy of the light pulse to be detected)






System Error Probability (BER) of no electron-
hole pair generated with a light pulse present
) exp( ) (
m
z e P =
Detection
Analog transmission quantum noise
Shot noise on photocurrent
p s
eBI i 2
2
=
hf B
P
eB
I
i
I
SNR
p
s
p
2 2
0
2
2
q
= = =
Detection
Receiver noise
) ( 2
2
b d p TS
I I I eB i + + =
L
t
R
KTB
i
4
2
=
Without avalanche gain; thermal noise from detector
load resistor and active amplifier elements dominate
Total Shot Noise
Detection
Receiver noise
Detection
p-n and pin photodiode receiver
2
2
4
) ( 2
amp
L
d p
p
i
R
KTB
I I eB
I
SNR
+ + +
=
L
n
d p
p
R
KTBF
I I eB
I
SNR
4
) ( 2
2
+ +
=
Detection
Avalanche photodiode receiver
2
2
4
) ( 2

+ +
=
M
R
KTBF
M I I eB
I
SNR
L
n
x
d p
p
Detection
Receiver capacitance and bandwidth
a d T
C C C + =
B
C R
T L
>
t 2
1
B = post detection bandwidth
Receiver structures
Receiver structures
Low impedance front end
Receiver structures
Low impedance front end

Thermal noise dominates, sensitivity limited
Not for long-haul application


b a
b a
TL
R R
R R
R
+
=
Receiver structures
High impedance (integrating) front end
Receiver structures
High impedance (integrating) front end

Large detector bias resistor reduces thermal
noise.
Poor frequency response (detector output is
effectively integrated over a large time constant
and must be restored by equalization)
Improved sensitivity, limited dynamic range.
Receiver structures
Transimpedance front end
Receiver structures
Transimpedance front end

High input impedance reduced by feedback.
Good bandwidth.
Noise greater than high impedance front end
structure.
Receiver structures
FET preamplifiers

Low noise amplifier.
Low input capacitance.

Low transconductance (compared to BJT).
Poor frequency response.
Receiver structures
GaAs MESFET (Metal Schottky Field Effect
Transistor)

Low noise and high gain.
Detection
Detection
Source limitations
Power
Linearity
Thermal properties
Response
Spectral width
Non zero extinction ratio

Detection
LED Drive circuits
Digital transmission
Common emittor saturation switch
Emittor follower
Shunt configuration
Logic interfacing
ECL
Detection
Detection
Laser Drive circuits
Analog transmission
Shunt drive
ECL

Detection
Optical receiver
Preamplifier
Automatic gain control
Equalization

Detection
System design considerations
Transmission type (analog or digital)
Sytem fidelity (BER, SNR, Distortion)
Transmission bandwidth
Spacing (terminal equipment/repeater distance)
Cost
Reliability
Detection
Component choice
Fibre type
Source type
Transmitter configuration
Detector type
Receiver configuration
Modulation and coding

Detection
Multiplexing
FDM
TDM
WDM
SDM
CDM
Detection
Digital Systems
PAM
PCM
Detection
Link power budget
Detection
System planning
Link power budget
Pin
Pout
Loss log 10 =
CR j FC T
L P o o o + + = ) (
Channel loss
L CR j FC T
D L P + + + = o o o ) (
D
L
=dispersion equalization penalty
Detection
Rise time budget (temporal response)

=
=
N
i
i sys
t t
1
2
Rise time budget (temporal response)



T
S
=Source rise time
T
D
=Detector/receiver rise time
T
n
=Intermodal or group velocity dispersion
T
c
=Intramodal or material or chromatic
dispersion



2 / 1 2 2 2 2
) ( 1 . 1
D c n s sys
T T T T T + + + =
Detection
M
c
n
opt
sys
D
B
T
L D T
B
T
B
T
35 . 0
35 . 0
35 . 0
=
=
=
=

o
RZ pulse format B
T
= B NRZ pulse format B
T
= B/2
Example
Consider the following system:
A NRZ pulse modulated signal with a bit rate, B
T
of 150 MB/s (B = 300 MHz) is
to be transmitted over a length of 50 km single mode fibre link. To ensure a bit-
error-rate of less than 10
-9
, this specific coding requires a signal-to-noise ratio
at the receiver of at least 26 dB. It is decided that a transimpedance amplifier
with an open loop gain of 200 will be used. The average amplifier noise current
is 2,2 pA/ (Hz)
1/2
[ampere per root Hz]. The amplifier input resistance, R
a
is 10
k and the feedback resistor, R
f
is 10 k.

Two photodiodes, with a junction capacitance of 7 pF, are under consideration
with the same amplifier circuit :

PIN photodiode (neglect any dark current)
Avalanche photodiode (neglect any dark current) Avalanche gain is 20 with a
noise factor (F) of 10.
Example
i
B +
R
B T k 4
+ )
I
+
I
( B e 2
I
=
SNR
2
a
d p
2
p
PIN
M
i
B
+
R
M
B T k 4
+ )
I
+
I
( F B e 2
I
=
SNR
2
2
a
2
d p
2
p
APD
Example
1. Calculate the minimum photo current, I
p
for each diode to maintain the
required SNR.

2. Determine if the maximum bandwidth for the receiver and amplifier is
larger than the required 300 MHz.

3. Calculate the shot noise limited current of both detectors.

4. For a responsivity of 0,7 A/W at the operational wavelength, calculate the
average received optical power for both detectors. The influence of the AFD
multiplication factor has already been considered in part 1.

Example
5. The following laser diode is available and has to be evaluated:
Centre wavelength: 1310 nm
Threshold current: 80 mA
Optical output power (Ith + 15mA): 0,2 mW
Spectral half width: 6 nm
Rise/Fall time: 0,8 ns

At a wavelength of 1310 nm the single mode fibre attenuation is 0,3 dB/km and
the intramodal dispersion is 4 ps/nm.km.

Determine the temporal response of the system components and calculate the
maximum transmission rate B
T/sys
. Is the system bandwidth limited?

6. The fibre link has the following attenuation characteristic: Splice losses are
0,08 dB/km; loss at the laser/fibre and fibre/detector connector is 1 dB each;
safety margin of 3 dB. Determine if both systems (incorporating the PIN and
AFD) will be operational under these conditions.
Example
Example
Example
Example