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Ultra compact 45 GHz CMOS compatible Germanium waveguide photodiode with low dark current
Christopher T DeRose1, Douglas C Trotter, William A Zortman
1Sandia National Laboratory Applied Microphotonic Systems, Albuquerque, NM 87185, USA. cderose@sandia.gov
Optics Express
|January 26, 2012
Summary
We developed a compact Germanium waveguide photodiode using silicon photonics. This device achieves a 45 GHz cutoff frequency, potentially enabling lower power optical communications by eliminating amplifiers.
Area of Science:
- Photonics
- Semiconductor Devices
- Optical Communications
Background:
- Silicon photonics enables integrated optical circuits.
- Germanium photodiodes are crucial for detecting optical signals.
- High-speed, low-power photodetectors are needed for optical data communication.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present a compact Germanium waveguide photodiode.
- To demonstrate its integration within a CMOS-compatible silicon photonics process.
- To highlight its potential for ultra-low power optical communication systems.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of a Germanium waveguide photodiode.
- Integration into a standard silicon photonics fabrication flow.
- Characterization of photodiode performance, including cutoff frequency, responsivity, and dark current.
Main Results:
- Achieved a compact device size of 1.3 × 4 μm2.
- Demonstrated a best-in-class 3 dB cutoff frequency of 45 GHz.
- Obtained a responsivity of 0.8 A/W and a dark current of 3 nA.
Conclusions:
- The developed Germanium photodiode offers high performance in a compact footprint.
- Its low intrinsic capacitance is promising for eliminating transimpedance amplifiers.
- This advancement could lead to ultra-low power consumption in future optical data communication receivers.
