Traveling-wave transimpedance amplifier

A transimpedance amplifier that comprises:

• a set of input signal line inductances being connected in series if the set has more than one inductance, each amplified signal line inductance being coupled between two nodes in an input signal line;
• a set of amplified signal line inductances being connected in series if the set has more than one inductance, each amplified signal line inductance being coupled between two nodes in an amplified signal line;
• an output transistor in a common-drain amplifier configuration to drive an output node;
• a set of two or more transistors each having a having a gate connected to a respective node in the input signal line to receive a current signal propagating along the input signal line, each transistor further having a drain connected to a respective node in the amplified signal line to responsively propagate a voltage signal along the amplified signal line to a gate of the output transistor;
• and
• a feedback impedance that couples the output node to a final node in the input signal line, the output node producing a voltage signal that draws the current signal to the output node through the feedback impedance.

A method that comprises:

• propagating an input signal current along an input signal line of a distributed amplifier, the distributed amplifier responsively propagating an amplified signal along an amplified signal line;
• buffering the amplified signal from a final node of the amplified signal line to produce an output voltage signal;
• and
• using the output voltage signal to draw the input signal current from a final node of the input signal line via a feedback impedance.