Counting distributions and error probabilities for optical receivers incorporating superlattice avalanche photodiodes

Abstract

Abstract-Exact gain distributions and electron counting distributions are presented for superlattice avalanche photodiodes that operate by single-carrier transport perpendicular to the superlattice planes. The characteristic shapes of these distributions are compared with those of the single-carrier conventional avalanche photodiode and the photomultiplier tube. The electron counting distributions, which assume Poisson photocarrier injection, are used to calculate the error performance of a simple optical communication system. This performance is compared with that achievable by a single-carrier conventional APD receiver of identical quantum efficiency and gain. For simplicity of calculation, the system consists of a transmitter emitting light pulses containing a Poisson number sf photons and a maximum-likelihood integrate-and-dump receiver. It makes use of binary on-off keying and is subject to noise events arising from multiplied background radiation andlor multiplied dark noise. The performance of the superlattice photodiode receiver turns out to be always superior to that of the singlecarrier conventional photodiode receiver, for all values of the gain. The advantage can attain several orders of magnitude (even though the excess noise factors for the two devices lie within a factor of two). The superlattice receiver with high impact-ionization probability is shown to behave like an ideal photon counter with the same quantum efficiency, even if the device has many stages. The deleterious effects of receiver thermal noise on probability of error are examined.

Long Distance Transmission in Optical-IDMA System

“…The performance of the O-IDMA syatem may be evaluated on the basis of the parameter BER (bit error rate). [13] The Optocal-IDMA (O-IDMA) system has been simulated using MATLAB using input signal shape Gaussian pulse as well as Solitons with varying transmitting distance. Figure 4 shows the simulated result of the O-IDMA using the input signal as Gaussian pulse and Solitons with varying distance.…”

Invited Review: Superlattice and multiquantum well avalanche photodetectors: physics, concepts and performance

“…Conventional APDs are defined as APDs in which multiplication occurs only within the depletion region of a simple p-i-n bulk semiconductor diode. Additionally, the noise properties of superlattice APDs have been examined by Teich et al [9,14,20], Matsuo et al [21], Kahraman et al [22], Hakim et al [23], Chakrabarti et al [24], Fyath et al [25,26] Van der Ziel et al [27], and Rajamani et al [28]. Superlattice APDs (SAPDs) [29] are comprised of alternating layers of variable bandgap semiconductors.…”

Analysis of the influence of dark current on the performance of optical receivers employing superlattice APDs

“…Teich et al [43] have calculated the bit error rate (BER) for a staircase APD receiver, with k s = 0, neglecting the dark current, using the electron counting distribution, and assuming maximum-likelihood detection. They showed that such a receiver will exhibit improved sensitivity compared with a conventional APD receiver with identical gain and circuit noise.…”