This paper presents a Synchronous Optical NETwork (SONET) OC-3 155.52 Mb/s limiting amplifier, which is implemented in a 1.0 mu m double-poly double-metal N-well BiC-MOS technology. Composed of amplifier cells, a slicer, an output driver, and offset cancellation circuits, this limiting amplifier allows an input dynamic range of 36 dB (6 mV(pp) similar to 400 mV(pp)) and provides a constant output 1 V-pp across a 50 Ohm load for long-haul 40 km application. The active area of this limiting amplifier is 0.8 mm x 3.0 mm. It consumes 130 mW from a single -5 V supply voltage.
