Optical receiver comprising breakdown-voltage compensation
US8350205B2 · kind B2 · utility
0Cited by
5References
20Claims
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Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 26, 2010 |
| Grant date | Jan 8, 2013 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 12, 2031 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01J1/44
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
The present invention enables the detection of light using an APD that has high gain and/or a wide range of operating temperature. A first APD is biased with a voltage bias that is controlled based on the breakdown voltage of a second APD, which is thermally coupled with the first APD. Changes in the breakdown voltage of the second APD due to aging, temperature chances, and the like, are reflective of changes in the breakdown voltage of the first APD. As a result, the first APD can be operated with greater stability and reliability at high gain and over larger temperature excursions than APDs known in the prior art.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.