Capacity limits of linear avalanche photodiodes for low-complexity lasercom

Richard Garner; Curt Schieler; Todd Ulmer

doi:10.1117/12.3004770

12 March 2024 Capacity limits of linear avalanche photodiodes for low-complexity lasercom

Richard Garner, Curt Schieler, Todd Ulmer

Proceedings Volume 12877, Free-Space Laser Communications XXXVI; 128771A (2024) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.3004770
Event: SPIE LASE, 2024, San Francisco, California, United States

Abstract

We examine the limits of receiver sensitivity at capacity for modulation formats compatible with direct detection receivers, using parameters representative of commercial Avalanche Photodiodes (APDs). Considering sources of noise to be shot noise of the signal and dark current, and thermal noise of post-detection electronics (transimpedance amplifier, or TIA), we determine Shannon capacities for On-Off Keying and M-ary Pulse Position Modulation, assuming silicon APDs for 850 nm and InGaAs APDs for 1550 nm. We also explore the Sb-based APDs presently being investigated in many laboratories. While the low k-factor in silicon produces performance approaching that of preamplified receivers, the higher k-factor in InGaAs produces performance gaps ⪆ 10 dB at 1550 nm compared to other mature detection methods. Although several reported Sb-based APDs have low k-factors, their relatively high dark currents still render performance gaps similar to those of InGaAs.

Conference Presentation

(2024) Published by SPIE. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.

Citation Download Citation

Richard Garner, Curt Schieler, and Todd Ulmer "Capacity limits of linear avalanche photodiodes for low-complexity lasercom", Proc. SPIE 12877, Free-Space Laser Communications XXXVI, 128771A (12 March 2024); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.3004770

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