Influence of the incident optical field distribution on a high-speed PIN photodetector and horizontal optimization

Abstract

We demonstrate a new, to the best of our knowledge, dimensional “horizontal optimization” scheme, which can improve the high-speed characteristics of a PIN photodetector by designing the incident optical field distribution. First, coaxially incident faculae with the same peak and same power are studied and simulated, revealing that the bandwidth of the photodetector illuminated by uniform light is higher than that of the device illuminated by nonuniform light. Next, an annular optical field is designed incident to the photodetector, and the bandwidth is further improved. For a PIN photodetector, by carefully optimizing the incident optical field distribution, the photodetector bandwidth under an annular optical field can be increased significantly compared with that under conventional coaxial illumination.