A burst-mode 3R receiver for 10-Gbit/s PON systems with high sensitivity, wide dynamic range, and fast response

The burst-mode 3R receiver using monolithic ICs for 10-Gbit/s-class optical access networks is reported. In a point-to-multipoint access system like a passive optical network (PON), the receiver at the optical line terminal (OLT) must be able to handle burst-mode optical packets with significantly different powers and phases. An OLT receiver with high sensitivity with instantaneous response to burst inputs is desired for widening the accommodation area and for high efficiency in PON uplinks. Currently, the diffusion of high-speed Internet connection services represented by fiber to the home services at 1.25 Gbit/s is remarkable and the standardization of the next-generation system operating at 10 Gbit/s has started in IEEE. We first discuss the issues in the implementation of 10-Gbit/s-class PON systems, focusing on securing the accommodation area and the quality of the service comparable with those of the deployed system. Against that background, we propose target specifications for sensitivity, a dynamic range and response speed of the 10-Gbit/s-class burst-mode receiver so as to secure the power budget and the upstream efficiency comparable with those of the already-installed systems. Our burst-mode 3R receiver was designed to meet the above requirements and developed using monolithic ICs of transimpedance amplifier, limiting amplifier, and clock and data recovery circuit fabricated by using SiGe BiCMOS technologies along with a p-i-n photodiode. High sensitivity of -18.0 dB m, a wide dynamic range of over 16.5 dB, and quick response time of 75 ns were confirmed for burst inputs with extremely different powers.