Sources (LASERs and LEDs) and
Detectors( PIN PHOTODIODES)
2012
Dr. B. Grossman
Types of Sources
Many trade-offs
Semiconductor LED and Lasers
Solid State laser
Gas laser
Light Bulb
Others.. 1
Advantages of Semiconductor Sources
Small, low current, low voltage, high optical power
High coupling % of power into fiber
High modulation bandwidth
Narrow spectral width (ILD)
Room temperature Operation
Good linearity - Light (current)
Compatible with other electronics
Little heating (low power)
Good optical beam properties
2
LASER an acronym
L-ight
A-mplification by
S-timulated
E-mission of
R-adiation
3
LASERs have unique qualities:
ideally. Actually.
monochromatic-single frequency /color ( Dl )
highly directional and concentrated beam ( )
temporally coherent-perfect sinusoidal waveform (random DF)
spatially coherent-phase fronts spherical(phase front distortion)
actually. real laser varies slightly from this
4
LASERs are Oscillators: transistors???
Forward biased Electrical
diode Energy
Spontaneous
emission
noise
Optical
Energy
Multiple mirror
reflections
5
Laser PN junction
no bias
Laser PN junction-forward bias
Light is emitted diode current!
Semiconductor laser/LED energy levels
AMPLIFICATION! 6
ILD (cleaved ends) Most gas lasers
Resonant cavities (mirrors) provide in-phase feedback
7
Basic p-n Junction LASER Diode (ILD)
Edge Emitting Diode
Cleaved ends act as reflectors-GaAs/air
Electron transitions - amplification
Homojunction D one material (GaAs+dopants)
Heterojunction D two different material compositions (GaAs + GaAlAs + dopants)
8
Structure
concentrates
current
Gain Guided Heterostructure Laser Diode-
multimode
highest gain located where current and photon density is highest
index of GaAs is higher than AlGaAS acts as 1-D waveguide
large output power (10s-100s mw) 9
Index Guided Double Heterostructure
Laser Diode- Single mode
AlGaAs
AlGaA GaAs AlGaAs
s
AlGaAs
highest gain where photon density is highest
index of GaAs is higher than AlGaAS acts as 2-D waveguide
low output power (1-10 mw)
10
Power Output vs. Current
LASER and LED
ILD
mW
LED
100s W
11
LED
LED: At higher
temperatures, power
output decreases
Laser
diode ILD: At higher temperatures,
threshold current value increases
AND power decreases
12
Temperature Effects
Depends on junction
dimensions and
wavelength
(diffraction)
Small dimension=large
divergence angle
Large dimension=large
divergence angle
Optical Emission Pattern 13
Pmax
Center
Pmax/ 2 LED~ Dl
35-60nm
wavelength
depends
on energy gap
SM ILD
<0.02nm
MM ILD
2-5 nm
Spectral Width = Dl ( half power points) 14
Small linewidth/single mode only at higher currents
LASER Diode Output Power vs. Current
15
Transmitter Design
Po vd
Vd sat
LED Po1
id1 id
1) Po proportional to id thus
2) Determine diode voltage drop
set id bias for desired Po.
Choose Vb> Vsat usually 4.5, 6, 9, 12 volts
then
{ KVL: Solve for VR = Vb - Vd = Vb - 1.8
Ohms Law: R = VR/id
+ VR -
+
h
+ Vd -
id
-
16
Transmitter Design
Solved Example
1.0 Given a laser diode with: Po = 3.5mw. The ILD voltage drop is 2.0V when turned on.
Design a simple circuit to these specs using a 9 volt battery at 30 C.
1) determine id: id = 80 ma (from graph)
2) determine Vdsat = 2.0v (normally specified)
3) pick Vb > Vdsat: Pick 9 V (specified)
4) determine R= Vr/ id = (Vb Vdsat )/ id
5) Diode drop = battery voltage resistor voltage
VR = 9 - 2 = 7 V
R = VR/id = 7V/80mA
R = nearest value to 87.5 ohms
2.0 Given an LED diode where specified Po = 1.75 mw. The LED voltage drop is 1.8 V when
turned on. Design a simple circuit to these specs at 25 C using a 3 volt ( 2 AA cells) battery. 17
What is the value of the diode voltage drop under these conditions?
LED Lasers
Wavelength Class 800 - 850 1300 Class 800 - 850 1300 1500
Material GaAlAs GaInAsP GaAlAs GaInAsP GaInAsP
Spectrum Width (nm) 30 60 50 - 100 MM 12 25 2 10
Mode Spacing (nm) MM 0.3 0.9 0.13
SM FP 150 150
DFB 10 30 10 30
EC 1 10 1 10
EG 0.002 1 0.002 1
Structure PI, CSP, BH BH BH
Output Power (mW) 0.5 - 4.0 0.4 - 0.6 CSP 20 50
BH 28 1.5 8 1.5 8
Coupled Power (mW)
100-m core Surface 0.1 - 1.5 MM 0.5 7.0
Edge 0.3 - 0.45 0.04 0.075
50-m core Surface 0.01 - 0.05 0.015 0.035 MM 0.5 0.25 0.4 3.0 0.5
Edge 0.05 - 0.13 0.03 0.06 SM 1.5 3
Single mode Edge 0.003 0.03 MM 0.25 1 0.25 0.8
Extinction Ratio 25 : 1 25 : 1 25 : 1
Drive Current (mA) 50 150 100 150 CSP 40 - 80
BH 10 40 25 130
Rise Time (ns) Surface 4 14
0.3 0.7 0.3 0.7
Performance of Optical Sources
Edge 2 - 10 2.5 - 10 BH 0.3 - 1
18
Performance Typical Of Optical Sources (2.)
LEDs Lasers
Modulation Frequency 0.08 0.15 0.1 0.3 BH 23 23 40
(GHz)
Temperature Drift
Wavelength (nm/C) 0.3 0.6 0.15 0.2 0.3 0.9
Power (%/C) -0.2, -0.5 -0.9
Threshold Current (%/C) 0.8 1.6 - 2 3
Linearity
2nd Harmonic -30 to -40 dB @ Mo = 0.5 -40 to -55 dB
3rd Harmonic -35 to -40 dB @ Mo = 0.5 -50 to -70 dB
Beam Width (half)
Parallel Surface 120 - 180 CSP 5
Perpendicular Surface 120 - 180 CSP 10 - 25
Parallel Edge 180 BH 10 - 25 10 - 30 10 - 30
Perpendicular Edge 30 - 70 BH 20 - 35 30 - 40 30 - 40
Lifetime (Million hours) 1 - 10 50 - 1000 1 - 10 0.5 - 50 0.5 - 50
MM = Multimode
SM = Singlemode
FP = Fabry Perot
DFB = Distributed Feedback
EC = External Cavity
EG = External Grading
CSP = Channel Substrate
Performance of Optical Sources (2)
BH = Buried Heterostructure
PI = Proton Implantation
19
Optical Electrical
Detector converts optical power Radiation Output
Photo-
to an electrical voltage or current detector
Photodetectors 20
Photodetectors
Two categories
Quantum Detectors (E = h )
Thermal Detectors ( DT)
Saturation
Electrical Output
Linear
Dynamic
Noise Range
Optical Radiation
Detection of optical radiation-response curve
21
Fundamental principle of quantum detection
Ec Conduction Band
Absorbed Absorbed
photon photon Ed
Ev Valence Band
Intrinsic Extrinsic
If Ephoton = h > Eg, it is absorbed, e - h pair is generated (photogeneration).
A few are thermally generated (reverse sat. current).
Bohr atom picture
lmax = hc/Eg = highest l absorbed
very fast response time
22
sensitivity over small wavelength band
Fundamental principle of thermal detection
Thermal detector converts DT to a Voltage
hv
Wire
Wire Heat Sink at temperature, Ts
Thermal Detector- DT Thermal detector mounted
via wires to heat sink.
Slow response due to thermal mass
Blackened surface sensitive to very large wavelength band
Comparison Of Thermal And Quantum Detectors
QUANTUM THERMAL
Spectral response Narrow Band Broadband
Sensitivity High low
Time response Very Fast Very Slow
Cooling required Only in IR > 5 microns No
Primary application Sensors and communication laser power meters
23
Semiconductor Photodiodes
Normal electrical diode curve!
Diode Current
qV
REV BV I d I 0 e 1
kT
N p Do Pa Da
Reverse saturation current
(produced by thermal energy)
I o q
La Ln
24
I diode
Photovoltaic mode-
Diode Curve generates voltage
qV
VB
I light I 0 e 1 I photo gen
kT
Vdiode
solar cell mode
R
VB/R (power generator)
kT
Photoconductive mode
generates current VOC ln
q 0
I
Light shifts curve down
Changes diode voltage and current
Photodetector
+ Diode current
+ VR--
VB +
VD Diode
P I N - voltage
--
Bias Circuit-
photoconductive
25
PIN Photodiode Response
PIN Photoconductive Operation
P I N Photodetector VR
+ Diode current VR =Vsat = VB
+ VR--
VB +
VD Diode VR
-- - voltage
Bias Circuit-
photoconductive Po
Po Psat
When light is absorbed in depletion region, current flows in external circuit.
id Po optical power
actually id x P0 where constant responsivi ty A/W, mA/mW,...
i d P0 VR i d R L R L xxP0 VR (t ) P0 (t )
How do we determine the Responsivity: R ??? 26
Wavelength
Responsivity
InGaAs for 1300-1600 nm
Si Si for visible region
Ge
Absorption of material
1550 nm
1330 nm
Decreasing wavelength
950 nm
Quantum Efficiency = # e-h pairs generated / photons incident
Increasing wavelength
27
High internal fields result is carrier multiplication!
Avalanche Photodiode 28
APD Responsivity ~100 x PIN Responsivity
APD Responsivity ~ 100 x PIN 29
Voltage (V)
requires high voltage
very temperature sensitive- TE cooling
APD Gain vs voltage and Temperature
30
(need to keep voltage and temperature constant)
Some Detector Circuits
31
Photodiode Circuit Design
Typically we are given: wavelength, and optical power and or desired output voltage
Need to pick : photodiode, battery voltage, and load resistor
1. Choose material type based on l(R) - Si, Ge, GaAsP, ...
2. Determine specific detector and corresponding for the device at l
3. Given Po, and Vout (VR)
Photodetector
+ 4 . id = Po
Diode current
+ VR-- 5. Pick RL so id RL = Vout,
VB +
VD Diode 6. Pick VB > Vout (9 V is convenient)
-- - voltage
7.Determine Psat = Vout/R RL circuit saturates)
Bias Circuit-
photoconductive
P I N
32
Example:
1. lo = 850 nm , so we choose Si for large , ~ 0.48 A/W (why not other matls?)
1w
And Po (t)
id = Po = 0.48 * 1 x 10-6 = 480 nA
0
2. Let RL = 1M
then Vo (max) = 480 nA * 106 = 0.48V
Photodiode Circuit
_ id
VB
Design
RL -
+ Vo
+
3. Want VB > Vo, choose VB = 3.0 volts
5. What is P for detector saturation?
Saturates when VO VB = 3 = PoRL = Po*0.48*106
Po = 3
6*10-6 W = 6 w (saturation ) 1 mw OK-not saturated
0.48*106
33
Detector Circuit Design-OPF 470
Using OPF 470 spec sheet,
a. Design a circuit for 880nm light at 1mw. We want to have 2 volts output at
this power level. What is the saturation power?
b. Design a circuit for 600 0nm light at 0.2 mw. We want to have 1 volt output
at this power level. What is the saturation power?
Vd
+
VB
+
RL Vo
id +
34
Spec sheet for OPF 470 has maximum Responsivity at 880nm of 0.55
A/W and this is down to 0.3 times this value at 600 nm. Thus
Responsivity at 600nm is = 0.3 x 0.55 = 0.165 A/W
a. Want V out = 2 volts at 1 mw at 880 nm.
id = Po= 0.55 x 1mw= 0.55 ma ; Vo = 2 V= R x 0.55ma; R= 3.6 kohms
Battery voltage > 2 volts, pick 3 volts. Saturation power when V out ~3V;
Current is then 3 V/3.6 kohms = 0.83ma;
Power sat = current/Responsivity=0.83/0.55= 1.5 mw
b. Repeat for second case
Vd
+
VB
+
RL Vo
id +
35
Sensitivity Analysis-how much optical power is
needed at receiver???
If number of 1s and 0s are the same, and bit period = T, can determine
minimum optical power needed for a given BER and B, bit rate?
Po
Signal : Po (t) E E
0 T T
given: E is the energy/bit then Pave = E/2T, since T = 1/B, Pave = EB/2,
Planck's constant = 6.626068 10-34 m2 kg / s
we find that since E > ln(1/BER)hc/(lo) Pave(min) = (ln(1/BER))Bhc/(2lo)
Example
B = 10 6, BER = 10-12
Pomin = 42.212pW very small!!
Given: = 0.5, lo = 1300nm
Note: as B is increased, or BER decreased (less errors)-more received power is needed!
36
PIN Diode S/N Analysis
Primary noise sources:
1. Shot noise- statistical nature of current (electron flow)
2. Thermal noise- thermally induced molecular vibrations
Secondary noise sources:
1. 1/f noise- occurs at low frequencies
2. Quantum noise-statistical nature of light (photon flux)
37
PIN Diode S/N Analysis
Diode current = Isig = Po
Thus : signal power = Psig = (RPo)2
Boltzmann constant = 1.3806503 10-23 m2 kg s-2 K-1
S (RPo)2
=
N
2q (IL + ID) (Df) + 4KT(Df)/RL
Photon generated shot noise Thermal generated noise
very low light: S (Po)2RL
=
thermal >> shot N 4KT(BW)
large light level
S (Po)2 Po
shot >> thermal
= =
N 2q(Po)(Df) 2q(Df)
38
Examples
Exercise: let Po = 1x10-9W, (low light), = 0.5
RL = 50, T = 300 K, BW = 1GHz
S (Po)2RL
= = ?
N 4kT(BW)
Exercise: now let Po = 1x10-3W (high light)
S Po
= = ?
N 2q(BW)
39
Photodiode Parameters
Link to photodiode specs
Generic Operating Parameters Of Si, Ge, and InGaAs pin Photodiodes
Parameter Symbol Unit Si Ge InGaAs
Wavelength range nm 400 1100 800 1650 1100 1700
Responsivity A/W 0.4 0.6 0.4 0.5 0.75 0.95
Dark Current ID nA 1 10 50 500 0.5 2.0
Rise Time r ns 0.5 1 0.1 0.5 0.05 0.5
Bandwidth B GHz 0.3 0.7 0.5 - 3 1 2
Bias Voltage VB V 5 - 10 5 - 10 5
Generic Operating Parameters Of Si, Ge, and InGaAs Avalanche Photodiodes
Parameter Symbol Unit Si Ge InGaAs
Wavelength range nm 400 1100 800 1650 1100 1700
Avalanche Gain M --- 20 40 50 200 10 -40
Dark Current ID nA 0.1 1 50 500 10-50
Rise Time r ns 0.1 - 2 0.5 0.8 0.1 - 0.5
Gain - Bandwidth M-B GHz 100-400 2 - 10 20--250
Bias Voltage VB V 150400 20-40 20 - 30
40
Slide 42
