A comparison of noise performance between a PIN diode and MMIC HEMT and HBT optical receivers

Abstract

The noise performance of MMIC (monolithic microwave integrated circuit) HEMTs (high electron mobility transistors) and HBTs (heterojunction bipolar transistors) are experimentally compared with those of conventional PIN photodiodes. The HEMTs and HBTs are fabricated using a conventional MMIC process. These devices are characterized using a modified electrooptic on-wafer probe station, and a LiNbO/sub 3/ optical external modulator. The attained signal-to-noise ratios of HEMT, HBT, and PIN detectors at a signal frequency of 1 GHz, an optical carrier of 0.83 mu m, and a frequency bandwidth of 1 MHz are 52.3 dB, 55.9 dB, and 54.1 dB, respectively. >