GaAs MESFET laser-driver IC for 1.7 Gb/s lightwave transmitter.

GaAs monolithic integrated circuits for modulating junction lasers (laser-drivers) have been developed for a 1.7 Gb/s lightwave communication system. It has been demonstrated that the A and B type devices are capable of driving 50 ohm load with 50 mA modulation current with pulse rise and fall times less than 200 ps, and the C and D type devices are capable of driving 25 ohm load with up to 100 mA modulation current with pulse rise and fall times less than 250 ps. Selected devices have stable eye diagrams (both current amplitude and eye crossing) from 0C to 70C. The circuit designs and performance of these devices are described in this report.