TRAVELING-WAVE PHOTODETECTOR DESIGN AND MEASUREMENTS

A simple and accurate design method for traveling-wave photodetectors is presented and illustrated by example. Fully distributed, hybrid-cop lanar, traveling-wave photodetectors are designed. Linear and nonlinea r responses are measured, and linear responses are compared with desig n predictions. Record bandwidths of 190 GHz and record bandwidth-effic iency products of 84 GHz are measured. Behavior under high-power illum ination is investigated and contrasted with lumped-element photodetect ors. A phenomenological model, implying fundamental bandwidth-power li mitations, is used to interpret the results.