Modeling and Characterization of Millimeter-Wave Photodiodes for Microwave Photonic Integrated Circuits
Abstract
There is worldwide interest in utilizing the millimeter-wave sub-millimeter-wave bands of the electromagnetic spectrum (high frequency microwaves) for high-speed and high-capacity free-space communication systems. Important to this effort is an efficient conversion from the fiber-based optical communications systems to free-space microwave systems. A critical component of these systems is the photodiode, a type of photodetector that receives photons and converts them into photocurrent by means of the photoelectric effect, connecting the optical and microwave domains. This project involved the characterization and modeling of state-of-the-art photodiodes fabricated at MIT Lincoln Laboratory in the Quantum Information and Integrated Nanosystems Group. A preliminary literature review correlated photodiode design with the optimization of speed (3-dB bandwidth), efficiency (responsivity), and power (current-handling). The measurement of the responsivity (the ratio of generated photocurrent to input optical power) as a function of wavelength revealed unexpected oscillations in the responsivity as a function of device length caused by a reflective cavity in the photodiode, resulting in the recommendation of the addition of an anti-reflective coating that eliminated the oscillations. Characterization of current-handling and responsivity demonstrated that the photodiodes could be fabricated to improve overall performance and realize a high-power, high-speed device for microwave photonics applications.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 11, 2018
- Accession Number
- AD1091781
Entities
People
- Erin M. Morissette
Organizations
- MIT Lincoln Laboratory