High power and highly linear monolithically integrated distributed balanced photodetectors

Author

Islam, M. Saif ; Jung, Thomas ; Itoh, Tatsuo ; Wu, Ming C. ; Nespola, Antonino ; Sivco, Deborah L. ; Cho, Alfred Y.

Author_Institution

Dept. of Electr. Eng., California Univ., Los Angeles, CA, USA

Volume

20

Issue

2

fYear

2002

fDate

2/1/2002 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

285

Lastpage

295

Abstract

A distributed balanced photodetector with high saturation photocurrent and excellent linearity has been experimentally demonstrated. The maximum linear direct current (DC) photocurrent of 33 mA per branch is equivalent to 66 mA in single-ended photodetectors. A setup for investigating the alternating current (AC) linearity of the receiver is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. The receiver exhibits high AC linearity, even under high power operation. The bandwidth of the receiver remains unchanged when the effective do photocurrent is varied from 1 mA to 21 mA. The distribution of photocurrents was also measured. Device length for optimum radiofrequency performance is calculated and implemented in the design. A correlation between the dark current of the photodiodes and their failure mechanism has been established. Analyzing the failure mechanism, junction diodes are found to be more suitable for high power applications

Keywords

integrated optoelectronics; metal-semiconductor-metal structures; microwave photonics; optical planar waveguides; optical receivers; p-i-n photodiodes; photodetectors; 1 to 21 mA; CPW microwave transmission line; alternating current linearity; analog fiber optic links; common-mode photocurrent; continuous-mesa devices; dark current; distributed balanced photodetector; distribution of photocurrents; failure mechanism; high power photodetectors; high saturation photocurrent; highly linear monolithically integrated photodetectors; linear arrays; linear direct current photocurrent; metal-semiconductor-metal; microwave photonics; optical receivers; optimum radiofrequency performance; passive optical waveguides; photodiodes; Bandwidth; Failure analysis; Linearity; Optical feedback; Optical noise; Optical receivers; Optical waveguides; Photoconductivity; Photodetectors; Radio frequency;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Lightwave Technology, Journal of

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0733-8724

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/50.983243

Filename

983243