NIST researchers characterize high-speed photoreceiver to 110 GHz. (General Developments).

NIST researchers have demonstrated that they can accurately characterize the modulation response (magnitude and phase) of a commercially available photoreceiver to frequencies as high as 110 GHz, nearly three times the bit rate of emerging 40 Gb/s optical communication systems. Measurement of the modulation response of a receiver over a frequency range much larger than its bandwidth is necessary for accurately modeling its response in the time-domain, providing critical information for digital communications systems.

NIST researchers have developed an electro-optic sampling system to sample high-speed electrical waveforms on a coplanar waveguide with ultrashort laser pulses via the electro-optic effect. Standard microwave techniques are used to calibrate the response of a photoreceiver at its 1 mm electrical port, which is physically removed from the sampling plane. The frequency range of the calibration is limited only by the 1 mm coaxial connectors. The characterized photoreceiver had a bandwidth of about 80 GHz; the signal to noise ratio of the measurement was greater than 150:1 at 110 GHz. A summary of the work has been submitted to the annual meeting of the IEEE Lasers and Electro-Optics Society.

CONTACTS: Paul Hale, [phone]; [e-mail] or Dylan Williams, [phone]; [e-mail].