We present a double cladding, high-mesa-type waveguide UTC photodetector with an improved the responsivity. In this device structure, an InGaAs thin core layer was sandwiched by p-InP/InGaAsP and n-InP/InGaAsP cladding layers, including a UTC structure, in order to obtain a good optical coupling between the waveguide and the fiber. By comparing the resulting mode field with that obtained with a single cladding layer structure, we confirmed that the vertical mode field was enlarged. Without a spot size converter, the measured responsivity was as high as 0.6 A/W at 1550 nm, which suggests a responsivity three times higher than that of back-illuminated structures, and higher responsivity than that of previous reports. A high frequency performance (f3dB = 100 GHz) was also measured. The device structure, including the layer, doping level conditions, and optical fiber coupling results are discussed, and its performance is characterized in detail.
|