Novel directional coupled waveguide photodiode–concept and preliminary results

A novel photodiode is presented using a directional coupler incorporated with a UTC style photodiode with 0.88A/W responsivity and 35dBm OIP3 at 25mA. The device responsivity is characterized at various photocurrents up to 10mA and the OIP3 is measured up to 25mA and 10GHz. Additionally, the device capacitance is measured and used to model the capacitance limited OIP3 of the device. The failure of the device was compared to a traditional waveguide photodiode showing burnout no longer occurs at the front of the device and demonstrated the potential of the new design to control the photocurrent density profile for a waveguide style photodiode. (C) 2010 Optical Society of America