Chapter 08 Optical Detectors

8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 Optical Detector P-N Photodiode PIN Photodiode Avalanche Photodiode (APD)

Fiber Optics 8.1 Optical Detector

Fahim Aziz Umrani (2KES23)

The optical detector is an essential part of the OFC system and its function is to convert the received optical signal into an electrical signal, which is then amplified before further processing. The electronic circuit which interface the detector with its particular characteristics and requirements to conventional electronic terminal equipment is called pre-amplifier. The combination of the detector and pre-amplifier is called receiver. The detectors for use in optical communciations systems are most suitable when having high sensitivity and fast response time, permitting the detection of a low level signal at high bit rates, in turn permitting longer spans for high bit rate systems. Photodiodes and avalnahce photodiodesa are the most commonly used detectors.

8.2

P-N Photodiode

A photodiode is a junction type photoconductive, photodetector, optoelectronic device designed to be responsive to optical input. Photodiodes are provided with either a window or optical fibre connection, in order to let in the light to the sensitive part of the device. Photodiodes can be used in either zero bias or reverse bias. In zero bias, light falling on the diode causes a voltage to develop across the device, leading to a current in the forward bias direction. This is called the photovoltaic effect, and is the basis for solar cells - in fact a solar cell is just a large number of big, cheap photodiodes. Diodes usually have extremely high resistance when reverse biased. This resistance is reduced when light of an appropriate frequency shines on the junction. Hence, a reverse biased diode can be used as a detector by monitoring the current running through it. Circuits based on this effect are more sensitive to light than ones based on the photovoltaic effect. Figure 8-2 shows a p-n photodiode, which serves as a high speed optical detector. The device strongly absorbs light at wavelength of interests for example for the range of 0.8 to 0.9 m. The Silicon is an excellent material choice for such device.

Figure 8-1: p-n photodiode showing depletion and diffusion region

51 Chapter No 08 Optical Detectors

Fiber Optics 8.3 PIN Photodiode

Fahim Aziz Umrani (2KES23)

The three letters of PIN indicates the p-type, intrinsic-type, and n-type material. It is a diode with a large intrinsic region sandwiched between p-doped and n-doped semiconducting regions. In order to allow operation at longer wavelengths where the light penetrates more deeply into the semiconductor material a wider depletion region is necessary. To achieve this the n-type material is doped so lightly that it can be considered intrinsic, and to make a low resistance contact a highly doped n type (n+) layer is added. This creates a p-i-n (or PIN) structure s may be seen in Figure 8-2 where all the absorption takes place in the depletion region.

Figure 8-2: PIN photodiode showing combine depletion and diffusion region

8.4

Avalanche Photodiode (APD)

An avalanche photodiode is a silicon-based semiconductor containing a pn-junction consisting of a positively doped p region and a negatively doped n region sandwiching an area of neutral charge termed the depletion region. These diodes provide gain by the generation of electron-hole pairs from an energetic electron that creates an "avalanche" of electrons in the substrate. It operates with a reverse-bias voltage (50 to 400 V) that causes the primary photocurrent to undergo amplification by cumulative multiplication of charge carriers. More recently, however, it should be noted that devices which will operate at much lower bias voltages (15 to 25 V) have become available. Avalanche photodiodes are made of group-IV materials as well as III-V alloys e.g., InGaAsP or InP. This has a more sophisticated structure than the PIN photodiode in order to create extremely high field region. The result of this construction is that besides the depletion region where absorption takes place and the primary carrier pairs are generated, there is a high field region where electrons can acquire sufficient energy to excite new electron-hole pairs. This process is known as impact ionization, and is the same phenomenon which leads to avalanche breakdown in ordinary reverse biased diode. Avalanche diodes are very similar in design to the silicon p-i-n diode; however the depletion layer in an avalanche photodiode is relatively thin, resulting in a very steep localized electrical field across the narrow junction.

52 Chapter No 08 Optical Detectors

Fiber Optics

Fahim Aziz Umrani (2KES23)

The APDs may be fabricated with different material systems to cover various operating lengths Silicon APD: these APDs have negligible leakage current and a low excess noise factor (typically 0.01 to 0.1). The response time of APDs is more than double that of the PIN diode. Because of low excess noise factor these APDs have excellent sensitivity. The Si APD is suitable for operation at awavelenghts up to 1 m. Germanium APD: the Ge APD can be used at the wavelength up to 1.7 m. In short wavelength region up to about 1 m, the excess noise factor is low for Ge. The Ge APD has high leakage currents restricting the receive sensitivity III V Compound APD: the Al GaAs P semiconductor alloys are workable in the 0.9 1.6 m range with results better than Ge APDs. These devices, however, at reverse bias close to critical voltage necessary to produce adequate avalanche gain, result in rapidly increasing dark currents leading to electron tunneling.

53 Chapter No 08 Optical Detectors