Inventors:
Radhakrishnan L. Nagarajan - Cupertino CA, US
Andrew G. Dentai - Mountain View CA, US
Scott Corzine - Sunnyvale CA, US
Steven Nguyen - San Jose CA, US
Vikrant Lal - Sunnyvale CA, US
Jacco L. Pleumeekers - Mountain View CA, US
Peter W. Evans - Mountain House CA, US
Assignee:
Infinera Corporation - Sunnyvale CA
International Classification:
H01L 31/0232
US Classification:
257432, 257189, 257E31056
Abstract:
Consistent with the present disclosure, a current blocking layer is provided between output waveguides carrying light to be sensed by the photodiodes in a balanced photodetector, and the photodiodes themselves. Preferably, the photodiodes are provided above the waveguides and sense light through evanescently coupling with the waveguides. In addition, the current blocking layer may include alternating p and n-type conductivity layers, such that, between adjacent ones of such layers, a reverse biased pn-junction is formed. The pn-junctions, therefore, limit the amount of current flowing from one photodiode of the balanced detector to the other, thereby improving performance.