Process and temperature compensation in TIA using dual replica and servo loop

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10312866-B2
Application number	US-201614997940-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 18, 2016
Priority date	Jan 16, 2015
Publication date	Jun 4, 2019
Grant date	Jun 4, 2019

Abstract

Methods and systems for process and temperature compensation in a transimpedance amplifier using a dual replica and servo loop is disclosed and may include a transimpedance amplifier (TIA) circuit comprising a first TIA, a second TIA, a third TIA, and a control loop. The first TIA comprises a fixed feedback resistance and the second and third TIAs each comprise a configurable feedback impedance. The control loop comprises a gain stage with inputs coupled to outputs of the first and second TIAs and with an output coupled to the configurable feedback impedance of the second and third TIAs. The circuit may be operable to configure a gain level of the first TIA based on the fixed feedback resistance and a reference current applied at an input to the first TIA, and configure a gain level of the second and third TIAs based on a control voltage generated by the gain stage.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for communication, the method comprising:
in a transimpedance amplifier (TIA) circuit comprising:
a first TIA, a second TIA, and a third TIA, the first TIA comprising a fixed feedback resistance and the second and third TIAs each comprising a configurable feedback impedance, and
a control loop comprising a gain stage with inputs coupled to outputs of the first and second TIAs and with an output coupled to the configurable feedback impedance of the second and third TIAs:

configuring a gain level of the first TIA based on the fixed feedback resistance and a reference current applied at an input to the first TIA;
configuring a gain level of the second and third TIAs based on a control voltage generated by the gain stage; and
amplifying a received electrical current to generate an output voltage using the third TIA.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the reference current generates a reference voltage at one of the inputs of the gain stage.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the reference voltage controls the output of the gain stage that is coupled to the configurable feedback impedances of the second and third TIAs.

4. The method according to claim 1 , comprising compensating for gain level changes with temperature of the second and third TIAs utilizing the configurable feedback impedances of the second and third TIAs, respectively.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the configurable impedances of the second and third TIAs each comprise a fixed resistor and a voltage-controlled resistance.

6. The method according to claim 5 , comprising configuring the configurable impedances of the second and third TIAs by configuring a gate voltage of a transistor of the voltage-controlled resistance utilizing the output of the gain stage.

7. The method according to claim 1 , comprising coupling the output voltage to a first input of a second gain stage wherein a second input of the second gain stage is coupled to an output of a fourth TIA.

8. The method according to claim 7 , comprising generating a differential signal utilizing the output voltage and an output of the fourth TIA.

9. The method according to claim 7 , comprising configuring the output of the second gain stage by configuring an input current of the third TIA.

10. The method according to claim 1 , comprising receiving the electrical current from a photodetector.

11. A system for communication, the system comprising:
transimpedance amplifier (TIA) circuit comprising:
a first TIA, a second TIA, and a third TIA, the first TIA comprising a fixed feedback resistance and the second and third TIAs each comprising a configurable feedback impedance, and
a control loop comprising a gain stage with inputs coupled to outputs of the first and second TIAs and with an output coupled to the configurable feedback impedance of the second and third TIAs, the TIA circuit being operable to:
configure a gain level of the first TIA based on the fixed feedback resistance and a reference current applied at an input to the first TIA;
configure a gain level of the second and third TIAs based on a control voltage generated by the gain stage; and
amplify a received electrical current to generate an output voltage using the third TIA.

12. The system according to claim 11 , wherein the reference current generates a reference voltage at one of the inputs of the gain stage.

13. The system according to claim 12 , wherein the reference voltage controls the output of the gain stage that is coupled to the configurable feedback impedances of the second and third TIAs.

14. The system according to claim 11 , wherein the TIA circuit is operable to compensate for gain level changes with temperature of the second and third TIAs utilizing the configurable feedback impedances of the second and third TIAs, respectively.

15. The system according to claim 11 , wherein the configurable impedances of the second and third TIAs each comprise a fixed resistor and a voltage-controlled resistance.

16. The system according to claim 15 , wherein the TIA circuit is operable to configure the configurable impedances of the second and third TIAs by configuring a gate voltage of a transistor of the voltage-controlled resistance utilizing the output of the gain stage.

17. The system according to claim 11 , wherein the TIA circuit is operable to couple the output voltage to a first input of a second gain stage wherein a second input of the second gain stage is coupled to an output of a fourth TIA.

18. The system according to claim 17 , wherein the TIA circuit is operable to generate a differential signal utilizing the output voltage and an output of the fourth TIA.

19. The system according to claim 11 , wherein the TIA circuit is operable to configure the output of the second gain stage by configuring an input current of the third TIA.

20. A system for communication, the system comprising:
a transimpedance amplifier (TIA) circuit, the TIA circuit comprising:
a first TIA comprising a fixed feedback resistor and an output coupled to a first input of a first gain stage;
a second TIA comprising a first configurable impedance and an output coupled to a second input to the first gain stage;
a third TIA comprising a second configurable feedback impedance, an input for receiving an input electrical current, and an output that generates an output voltage of the TIA circuit; and
a control loop that stabilizes the gain of the third TIA with temperature change, the control loop comprising the first gain stage with its output coupled to the first and second configurable impedances.

Assignees

• Luxtera Inc

Inventors

• Barabas Stefan
• Balardeta Joseph
• Pang Simon
• Denton Scott

Classifications

• H03F3/087

  with IC amplifier blocks (H03F3/085 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H03F3/082

  with FET's (H03F3/085 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H03F3/08

  controlled by light · CPC title

• H03F2200/132

  Hybrid coupler placed in a feedback circuit of an amplifier · CPC title

• H03F2200/453

  Controlling being realised by adding a replica circuit or by using one among multiple identical circuits as a replica circuit · CPC title