Optical wireless APD receivers in 0.35 µm HV CMOS technology with large detection area

The development of two high-speed monolithically integrated optical receivers for wireless optical communication is presented from the design phase to the measurement. The first high-speed receiver is the modified previous design with an integrated 200-µm diameter avalanche photodiode. The redesign improved the optical sensitivity by 3.7 dB resulting in the sensitivity of -35.5 dBm at 1 Gbit/s. The second receiver is an avalanche photodiode receiver with increased photodiode diameter of 400 µm with a sensitivity of -34.7 dBm at 1 Gbit/s. The receivers were employed in wireless optical communication experiments under various ambient light conditions. The maximum error free transmission distance is 22 m at 1 Gbit/s OWC link. The limits of the used standard 0.35 µm HV CMOS technology are estimated in terms of maximum possible detection area of avalanche photodiode receiver still capable for Gbit data rates.