ADL5304
Data Sheet
Rev. 0 | Page 16 of 32
TERMINOLOGY
In the case of dual-supply operation of the device, the intercept
can be shifted to different values depending on where the VSM1 to
VSM4, DCBI, and INPS pins are biased; the only recommended
values are either 1.5 V via connection to the 1P5V pin, as in the case
of single-supply operation, or ground when a dual supply is used.
Optical Power
Optical power is defined as photon energy per unit of time
measured as radiant flux (Φ) or radiant power, which is radiant
energy (Q) per unit time.
Photodiode Responsivity
Photodiode (PD) responsivity, ρ, is a constant that correlates
optical power (POPT) with PD current (IPD).
IPD = ρ × POPT
(1)
For example, if connected to ground, then the intercept is at IZ =
IDEN = INUM for which log(INUM/IDEN) = 0. This is how most people
interpret the function log(x).
The most practical way to define intercept is to simply always use
log10(INUM/IDEN) = 0 as the reference point. The only consequence is
that a VOFS needs to be introduced depending on how the output
buffer gain and offset is set up.
where typical values for ρ of InGaAs p-intrinsic-n (PIN) photo-
diodes are in the range of 0.6 A/W to 1 A/W. In the case of 1 A/W,
this means that for 1 mW of incident optical power, POPT, the
PD delivers 1 mA of current, IPD.
OFS
DEN
NUM
Y
LOG
V
I
V
+
×
=
10
log
(3)
When the photodiode current input to the
ADL5304 is divided
by the responsivity, the log slope directly represents the change
in input optical power, POPT.
For the default single-supply setup, as shown in Figure 1, VY = 0.2 V/decade and VOFS = 1.5 V (derived from the 1P5V pin),
and IDEN is supplied by the on-chip trimmed IREF = 100 nA.
Dark Current
All reverse-biased diodes develop a current due to the random
generation of electrons/holes in the depletion region. In photo-
diodes, this current occurs with no incident light falling on the
diode and is called the dark current, IDK. Dark current limits the
minimum signal that can be reliably detected. For high speed
InGaAs PIN photodiodes, the IDK is typically around 5 nA. For
a photodiode with a responsivity of 1 A/W, a 5 nA IDK limits
minimum measureable optical power to 53 dBm.
The relationship between IZ and VOFS is as follows:
=
0.2V/dec
1.5V
10
nA
100
10
5
1
Y
V
P
Y
OFS
V
REF
V
DEN
Z
I
(4)
Logarithmic Function
The logarithmic function is
×
=
Z
NUM
Y
LOG
I
V
10
log
(2)
Because IREF and VY are trimmed for the default setup with VOFS =
1.500 V, IZ should also be a stable quantity; however, because it is a
calculated value determined by the IREF, V1P5V, and VY parameters,
its distribution is the combination of the three parameters and
wider than the original parameters.
The ideal single- and dual-supply
ADL5304 responses are
2.6
2.4
2.2
2.0
1.8
1.6
1.4
1.2
1.0
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0
–0.2
–0.4
–0.6
–1.0
–0.8
V
LO
G
O
UT
P
UT
V
O
L
T
AG
E
(V
)
1p
10p 100p
1n
10n 100n
1
10 100
1m
10m
INUM INPUT CURRENT (A)
09
45
9
-05
4
INUM = IDEN
SINGLE SUPPLY VSUM = 1.5V
DUAL SUPPLY VSUM = 0V
200mV/DEC
INUM = IDEN
Logarithmic Slope
Logarithmic slope is the change in output voltage (VLOG) for a
given change in input current usually shown as a semi-log
graph where one input current (INUM or IDEN) is plotted on a log
scale, and the output voltage (VLOG) is plotted on a linear scale.
The other input current is fixed. Typically, slope is denoted as
VY with units of mV/decade or mV/dB. For the ADL5304, in the default configuration, VY = 200 mV/decade (10 mV/dB).
Logarithmic Intercept
Logarithmic intercept, IZ, is an extrapolated value representing
the input current where VLOG = 0 V. In single-supply operation
(the VSMx pins = DCBI = INPS = 1P5V), VLOG is always
positive, and when the
ADL5304 is operating in the default
configuration of IDEN = IREF = 100 nA, the logarithmic intercept
occurs at INUM = 3.162 fA.
Figure 44. Ideal Transfer Function