A Study of Photoreceivers for Free-Space, Analog, Intensity-Modulated, Direct-Detection Optical Links Operating at Microwave Frequencies

Abstract

We compared the RF performance of various photodetection architectures for free-space optical links in order to optimize link performance at microwave frequencies. The three architectures studied were a) a p-i-n photodiode with internal resistor, b) a p-i-n photodiode with internal resistor followed by a high-gain RF amplifier, and c) a p-i-n photodiode followed by a transimpedance amplifier (TIA). We also consider the use of an avalanche photodiode followed by either a TIA or an RF amplifier. We conclude that, in almost all cases, a p-i-n photodiode followed by a high-performance RF amplifier offers optimum performance.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Sep 10, 2010
Accession Number
ADA530449

Entities

People

  • Charmaine Gilbreath
  • Frank Bucholtz
  • William S. Rabinovich

Organizations

  • United States Naval Research Laboratory

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Advanced Electronics

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Amplifiers
  • Analyzers
  • Automatic Gain Control
  • Avalanche Photodiodes
  • Detection
  • Detectors
  • Distributed Feedback Lasers
  • Frequency
  • High Gain
  • Measurement
  • Microwave Frequency
  • Modulation
  • Photodetection
  • Photodetectors
  • Quantum Cascade Lasers
  • Radio Frequency
  • Radio Frequency Amplifiers

Readers

  • Electronics Engineering
  • Optical Fiber Sensing and Electromagnetic Propagation.
  • Semiconductor Device Technology

Technology Areas

  • Directed Energy
  • Space