A 40-Gb/s SiGe-BiCMOS MZM Driver With 6-V $_{\text {p-p}}$ Output and On-Chip Digital Calibration

Abstract

A wide-swing optical modulator driver is implemented in 0.13- $\mu \text{m}$ SiGe-BiCMOS using a three-stage distributed amplifier with a digital input line. Measurements demonstrate 6 - $\text{V}_{{\text {p-p}}}$ differential output, symmetric 6 -ps (min) rise/fall times, 333-fs (rms) additive jitter, and better than 20-dB output return loss (S11) below 58 GHz. Full output swing with adjustable (6–12 ps) rise/fall times is realized after a three-step calibration sequence facilitated by an on-chip energy detector and digital control. The circuit supports 28–48-Gb/s external data sources, or 2 $^{11}-1$ PRBS and 1-0 internal data generators for calibration and characterization respectively. The 3-mm2 driver IC (1.8-mm2 active area) consumes 1.92 W from +5/−2.5-V supplies.