Power photodiodes for high dynamic range photonic links

Area of Science:

• Optoelectronics
• Photonics
• Electrical Engineering

Background:

• Analog photonic links require high dynamic range for advanced applications.
• Photodiode distortion and polarization-dependent loss are critical factors affecting link performance.
• Existing analysis of photodiode distortion in high dynamic range systems needs further development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present high-power photodiode applications for multioctave high dynamic range links.
• To analyze photodiode distortion and its impact on spurious-free dynamic range (SFDR).
• To investigate the effects of polarization-dependent loss on system performance.

Main Methods:

• Review of modulator and photodiode distortion analysis.
• Development of a new analysis for photodiode distortion contributed degradation of SFDR.
• Experimental validation using high-power photodiodes in zero-bias high dynamic range links.
• System-level testing to evaluate the impact of polarization-dependent loss.

Main Results:

• High-power photodiodes demonstrate significant SFDR improvement in zero-bias high dynamic range links.
• A novel analysis quantifies photodiode distortion's degradation of SFDR.
• Polarization-dependent loss was shown to degrade analog photonic link performance.
• State-of-the-art device performance was summarized.

Conclusions:

• High-power photodiodes are crucial for achieving high SFDR in analog photonic links.
• Understanding and mitigating photodiode distortion and polarization effects are essential for optimal link design.
• Future applications will benefit from advancements in photodiode technology for high SFDR requirements.