High-power microwave photodiode for improving performance of rf fiber optic links

The rf performance of fiber optic links is often limited by the maximum optical power rating of the photodiode receiver, particularly in short distance, point to point applications where the received power can be rather high. Required attenuation of the optical power can significantly compromise performance parameters such as the gain, noise, and dynamic range of the link, as well as adding extra cost and complexity in installing and maintaining the link. This paper presents results from the development of a high speed InGaAs photodiode (16 GHz) which can operate at a dc photocurrent as high as 15 mA, or 20 mW of received optical power.