Chinese Journal of Lasers, Volume. 52, Issue 5, 0501005(2025)

Waveguide Uni‐Traveling Carrier Photodetectors with Wide Bandwidth and High Responsivity (Invited)

Bing Xiong*, Mingwei Sun, Changzheng Sun, Zhibiao Hao, Jian Wang, Lai Wang, Yanjun Han, Hongtao Li, Lin Gan, and Yi Luo
Author Affiliations
  • Beijing National Research Centre for Information Science and Technology (BNRist), Department of Electronic Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
  • show less
    Figures & Tables(21)
    Schematics of waveguide photodetectors. (a) Simple side-illuminated waveguide photodetector; (b) evanescently coupled waveguide photodetector
    Schematics of evanescently coupled waveguide photodetectors integrated with spot size converter structure. (a) Waveguide photodetector integrated with tapered spot size converter (length of tapered waveguide is shortened proportionally)[19]; (b) waveguide photodetector integrated with dual-stage tapered spot size converter[17]; (c) waveguide photodetector integrated with laterally tapered twin-waveguide structure[20]
    Waveguide photodetector integrated with vertically tapered converter. (a) Three-dimensional schematic[24]; (b) side view[20]
    Waveguide photodetector with short multimode waveguide and optical matching layer. (a) Schematic[26]; (b) responsivity versus passive waveguide length simulated by beam propagation method[25]
    Dual-stage coupling structure. (a) Side and top views[29]; (b) epitaxial structure[28]
    Schematic of refractive index gradient structure and refractive index distribution of waveguide section
    Waveguide photodetector with refractive index gradient structure. (a) Microscopic photograph; (b) frequency response test results of chips with different sizes
    Electron overshoot effect. (a) Velocity overshoot effect of electrons in InP material under different electric field intensities[34]; (b) Monte Carlo simulation results showing electron velocity versus transmission distance in InGaAsP (Q1.48) under different electric field intensities[30]
    CPW with high impedance lines is used for better performance. (a) Improving output power at specific frequency range[37];
    Structures for reducing parasitic capacitance. (a) Air bridge[14]; (b) HSQ passivation[39]; (c) BCB passivation[35]
    Microscope photographs of detector chips. (a) With on-chip bias-tee and matching resistors[41]; (b) with matching resistors[40]
    Coaxial output modules. (a) UTC-PD module with 1 mm coaxial interface[43]; (b) photodetector packaging module with 0.8 mm coaxial interface[41]
    Design of waveguide output module. (a) Schematic diagram of photodetector with thin-film circuit[49]; (b) photo of fabricated module[50]
    Matching circuit. (a) Equivalent circuit of matching circuit[52]; (b) photodetector chip integrated with matching circuit[52]
    Integration of antennas and detectors. (a) Microscopic photograph of modified UTC-PD (MUTC-PD) integrated with E-plane conversion structure on single chip[53]; (b) optical wireless communication system [54]
    Thin-film circuit. (a) Schematic diagram of thin-film circuit including on-chip bias tee and probe[56]; (b) internal layout of packaging module[55]
    RF-choke structure based on CSRR and test results. (a) Schematic diagram; (b) spectral responses of module in W band under different photoelectric currents
    Monolithic integration of patch antennas and photodiode chips. (a) SEM pictures of different patch antennas[58];
    Structures based on end-fire antennas. (a) Schematic diagram of flip-chip connection between Vivaldi antenna on ALN substrate and photodetector[61]; (b) schematic diagram of tapered slot antenna prepared on high-frequency PCB board[62]; (c) schematic diagram of on-chip bias circuit, wideband Balun structure, and Vivaldi antenna (backside) prepared on quartz substrate
    • Table 1. Comparison of waveguide photodetector chip performance

      View table

      Table 1. Comparison of waveguide photodetector chip performance

      Device typeBandwidth /GHz

      Responsivity /

      (A/W)

      Saturated powerCharacteristic
      WG-UTC-PD631700.27-9 dBm @ 200 GHzBeing integrated with CPW; without taper
      TW-UTC-PD161080.53Tapered mode converting; diluted waveguide
      WG-UTC-PD641150.15Periodic traveling-wave photodetector
      WG-UTC-PD141050.11.3 dBm @ 105 GHzAir bridge; high impedance CPW
      920.153.5 dBm @ 90 GHz
      WG-UTC-PD65750.5

      8.9 dBm @ 60 GHz

      5.1 dBm @ 120 GHz

      Spot-size converter
      WG-PIN-PD281200.51Planar multimode waveguide; parallel resistor
      WG-PIN-PD25481.07-5 dBm @ 40 GHzPlanar multimode waveguide
      WG-PIN-PD221000.66Ridge waveguide; being integrated with bias tee; parallel resistor
      WG-UTC-PD401100.6Planar multimode waveguide; parallel resistor
      WG-UTC-PD661000.6Being coupled directly to absorber
      WG-PD-taper67420.75Twin lateral taper coupler
      WG-UTC-PD29600.93.45 dBm @ 60 GHzDual-step coupled waveguide
      WG-UTC-PD362200.18-4.36 dBm @ 215 GHzBCB under CPW
      WG-UTC-PD681000.25Planar multimode waveguide
      WG-UTC-PD350.25

      -0.6 dBm @ 240 GHz

      -2.7 dBm @ 280 GHz

      Introducing specific cliff layers to improve output power
      WG-UTC-PD301530.38-5.6 dBm @ 130 GHzThick multi-layer coupling waveguide with gradually increasing refractive index profile
      1190.50-1.2 dBm @ 100 GHz
      870.53-2 dBm @ 100 GHz
    • Table 2. Comparison of detector package performance

      View table

      Table 2. Comparison of detector package performance

      Packaging type

      Bandwidth /

      GHz

      Responsivity /

      (A/W)

      Saturated powerCharacteristic
      Coaxial69800.351 mm coaxial connector; being integrated with bias tee
      Coaxial431101 mm coaxial connector
      Coaxial70>1101 mm coaxial connector; bias free
      Coaxial411450.40.8 mm coaxial connector; being integrated with bias tee
      WR output4675‒1100.3510.4 dBm @ 100 GHzWR10
      WR output7175‒1100.4-8 dBm @ 100 GHzWR10
      WR output5590‒1400.072.3 dBm @ 100 GHzWR8
      WR output4790‒1400.412.3 dBm @ 120 GHzWR8
      WR output38110‒1700.40 dBm @150 GHzWR6
      WR output56140‒2200.07-7.8 dBm @ 140 GHzWR5
      WR output53220‒3200.07-12.4 dBm @ 300 GHzWR3
      WR output72220‒3250.27-8.7 dBm @ 264 GHzWR3
      WR output50220‒3250.22-2.7 dBm @ 350 GHzWR3
      WR output73400‒900-19 dBm @ 500 GHzWR1.5
      Antenna74300‒25000.2-20 dBm @ 300 GHzBow-tie antenna
      Antenna57700‒16000.02-19.6 dBm @ 1.04 THzTwin-dipole planar antenna
      Antenna75150‒15000.03-25.8 dBm @ 1.04 THzLog-periodic toothed planar antenna
      Antenna76

      350‒850

      900‒1600

      0.2

      -24.5 dBm @ 1.25 THz

      -25.5 dBm @ 700 GHz

      Slot antenna
      Antenna7770‒1900.144-5.8 dBm @ 74 GHzBow-tie antenna
      Antenna78100‒500

      0.105

      0.09

      Resonant slot antenna

      Log-periodic antenna

      Antenna6075‒110-1.5 dBm EIRPVivaldi antenna
    Tools

    Get Citation

    Copy Citation Text

    Bing Xiong, Mingwei Sun, Changzheng Sun, Zhibiao Hao, Jian Wang, Lai Wang, Yanjun Han, Hongtao Li, Lin Gan, Yi Luo. Waveguide Uni‐Traveling Carrier Photodetectors with Wide Bandwidth and High Responsivity (Invited)[J]. Chinese Journal of Lasers, 2025, 52(5): 0501005

    Download Citation

    EndNote(RIS)BibTexPlain Text
    Save article for my favorites
    Paper Information

    Category: laser devices and laser physics

    Received: Aug. 1, 2024

    Accepted: Sep. 20, 2024

    Published Online: Mar. 15, 2025

    The Author Email: Bing Xiong (bxiong@mail.tsinghua.edu.cn)

    DOI:10.3788/CJL241112

    CSTR:32183.14.CJL241112

    Topics