High speed, high power waveguide-photodetector with distributed absorption

We propose a new microwave photodetector with high responsivity, which can handle both high optical power and deliver high output microwave power. The distributed absorption waveguide photodiode (DWGPD) is specially designed to distribute equally the photocarriers over the maximum surface area available, in order to reduce the non linear effects of electrical response due to electric field screening effects. The expected calculated performances of this DWGPD is compared to other type of broadband photodetectors in terms of linear microwave output power, quantum efficiency and thermal behaviour. The first fabricated DWGPDs have a responsivity of 1A/Watt at 1532 nm, linear response up to 10 mA and cutoff frequency of 18 GHz.