InGaAs/InP PIN photodiode for optical receivers in pulsed-laser range finding systems

By | 11.09.2024

A. A. Koronnov, N. F. Salova, M. M. Zemlyanov, A. V. Grinin, A. E. Safutin, E. V. Kuznetsov, M. A. Ladugin, M. Yu. Kuznetsov, N. N. Bragin, A. V. Mamin

  • M.F. Stel’makh Polyus Research Institute, Moscow
  • K.G. Razumovsky State University of Technology and Management, Moscow
Abstract: Based on an epitaxial InGaAs/InP structure, we have designed and fabricated a mesa photodiode with illumination through the substrate and an active area diameter of 150 μm. The photodiode is best suited for use in optical receivers of range finding systems owing to its design, which precludes carrier photogeneration beyond the active area of the receiver and enables one to measure the distance in the near field in the presence of backscattering interference using high-energy rangefinders. At a reverse bias voltage of 5 V, the dark current of the photodiode does not exceed 2 nA, its capacitance is within 1.2 pF, and its responsivity at a wavelength λ = 1.064 μm is 0.55 A W–1. Based on this photodiode, we have made a small optical receiver for pulsed-laser range finding systems, which has a threshold sensitivity under 65 nW at a wavelength λ = 1.064 μm for a laser pulse width of 10 ns at a correct detection probability of 0.5 and FAR index of 10–3.
Keywords: optical receiver, pulsed-laser rangefinder, mesa photodiode, PIN photodiode, backside-illuminated photodiode.

Received: 04.03.2022
Revised: 03.05.2022