10-Gb/s limiting amplifier and laser/modulator driver in 0.18-μm CMOS technology

A limiting amplifier incorporates active feedback, inductive peaking, and negative Miller capacitance to achieve a voltage gain of 50 dB, a bandwidth of 9.4 GHz, and a sensitivity of 4.6 mV sub(pp) for a bit-error rate of 10 super(-12) while consuming 150 mW. A driver employs T-coil peaking and negative impedance conversion to achieve operation at 10 Gb/s while delivering a current of 100 mA to 25- Omega lasers or a voltage swing of 2 V sub(pp) to 50- Omega modulators with a power dissipation of 675 mW. Fabricated in 0.18- mu m CMOS technology, both prototypes operate with a 1.8-V supply.