A laser source driver in 0.18 μm SiGe BiCMOS technology for high speed quantum key distribution

Yulong Zhu; Xinzhe Wang; Chenxi Zhu; Zhaoyuan Chen; Zhisheng Huang; Zhanhong Jin; Yang Li; Futian Liang; Shengkai Liao; Chengzhi Peng; Ge Jin

doi:10.1063/5.0118778

AIP Advances (Dec 2022)

A laser source driver in 0.18 μm SiGe BiCMOS technology for high speed quantum key distribution

Yulong Zhu,
Xinzhe Wang,
Chenxi Zhu,
Zhaoyuan Chen,
Zhisheng Huang,
Zhanhong Jin,
Yang Li,
Futian Liang,
Shengkai Liao,
Chengzhi Peng,
Ge Jin

Affiliations

Yulong Zhu: State Key Laboratory of Particle Detection and Electronics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
Xinzhe Wang: Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale and School of Physical Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
Chenxi Zhu: School of Cyberspace Security, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
Zhaoyuan Chen: Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale and School of Physical Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
Zhisheng Huang: Department of Modern Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
Zhanhong Jin: Department of Modern Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
Yang Li: Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale and School of Physical Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
Futian Liang: Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale and School of Physical Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
Shengkai Liao: Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale and School of Physical Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
Chengzhi Peng: Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale and School of Physical Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
Ge Jin: State Key Laboratory of Particle Detection and Electronics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0118778
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 12, no. 12
pp. 125025 – 125025-10

Abstract

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Quantum key distribution (QKD) has rapidly developed recently. The repetition frequency of the QKD system increases from tens or hundreds of MHz to GHz. A laser diode (LD) operating in gain-switched mode is widely used as a weak coherent light source in a QKD system. We present an LD driver circuit fabricated in 0.18 μm SiGe heterojunction bipolar transistor bipolar complementary metal oxide semiconductor technology. The circuit can operate at frequencies up to 2.5 GHz, satisfying the requirements of high-speed laser drives in practical QKD systems. The output current of the driver circuit can reach 100 mA when driving an LD whose input equivalent resistance is ∼21 Ω. The extinction ratio of the 1550-nm distributed feedback LD light source driven by our driver circuit reaches 23 dB at the operating frequency of 2.5 GHz, meeting the requirements of QKD systems. This circuit will be used in miniaturized QKD systems.

Published in AIP Advances

ISSN: 2158-3226 (Online)
Publisher: AIP Publishing LLC
Country of publisher: United States
LCC subjects: Science: Physics
Website: http://aipadvances.aip.org/

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