Sensitivity evaluation of fiber optic OC-48 p-i-n transimpedance amplifier receivers using sweep-frequency modulation and intermixing diagnostics

Abstract

The sensitivity of SONET p-i-n photodiode receivers with transimpedance amplifiers (PIN-TIA) from OC-3 to OC-48 data rates, measured by using a standard bit-error-rate tester (BERT) and a novel sweep-frequency-modulation/intermixing (SMIM) technique, are compared. A threshold intermixed voltage below 15.8 mV obtained by the SMIM method corresponding to the sensitivity of the PIN-TIA receiver beyond -32 dBm determined by BERT for the SONET OC-48 PIN-TIA receivers with a required BER of better than 10(-10) is reported. The analysis interprets that the intermixed voltage for improving the PIN-TIA receiver sensitivity from -31 to -33 dBm has to be increased from 12.5 to 20.4 mV. As compared to the BERT, the SMIM is a relatively simplified, fast, and low-cost technique for on-line mass-production diagnostics for measuring the sensitivity and evaluating the BER performances of PIN-TIA receivers. (c) 2005 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers.