OPTICAL DETECTORS IN

FIBER OPTIC RECEIVERS.

Presenter: Julius Munyantwali.
Introduction.
A fiber optic receiver is an electro-optic
device that accepts optical signals from an
optical fiber and converts them into electrical
signals.

Consists typically of :
-Optical detector
-Low-noise amplifier
-Other circuitry.
Block diagram of fiber optic
receiver.
Optical Detectors.
These are transducers that convert optical
signals into electrical signals.

Transducers are devices that convert input
energy of one form into output energy of
another.

An optical detector does so by generating an
electrical current proportional to the intensity
of the incident optical light.
Optical Detector
Requirements.
Compatible in size to low-pass optical fibers
for efficient coupling and packaging.

High sensitivity at the operating wavelength
of the source.

Low noise contribution.

Maintain stable operation in changing
environmental conditions.
Semiconductor Photodiodes.
Generate current when they absorb photons.
The amount of current depends on ;

-Wavelength of the light and responsivity of
the photodiode

-Size of the photodiode active area relative to
the fiber core size

-Alignment of the fiber and photodiode.
Optical detector materials.
Si,GaAs, GaAlAs 850nm

Ge, InP, InGaAs -1300nm and 1550nm.

Materials determine the responsivity of the
detector which is the ratio of the output
photocurrent to the incident optical power.

Its a function of the wavelength and
efficiency of the device.
PIN Photodiode.
Semiconductor positive-negative structure
with an intrinsic region sandwiched between
the other two regions.

Normally operated by applying a reverse-bias
voltage.

Dark current can also be produced which is a
leakage current that flows when a reverse
bias is applied without incident light.
PIN Photodiode.
Response time factors.
Thickness of the active area.
-Related to the amount of time required for the
electrons generated to flow out of the
detector active area.

Detector RC time constant.
-Depends on the capacitance of the
photodiode and the resistance of the load.
Schematic of a Photodiode.
Advantage of PIN
photodiodes.
The output electrical current is linearly
proportional to the input optical power
making it a highly linear device.
Low bias voltage(<4v).
Low noise
Low dark current
High-speed response
AVALANCHE Photodiodes.
An APD internally amplifies the
photocurrent by an avalanche process
when a large reverse-bias voltage is
applied across the active region.

The gain of the APD can be changed by
changing the reverse-bias voltage.
AVALANCHE Photodiode.
Light Emitters As Detectors.
LEDs and lasers can also be used as light detectors
making them half-duplex fiber optic communication
devices.

They can be used alternately as light emitters and
detectors allowing transmission of information in
either direction over the fiber.

In order for the LED to operate as a full-duplex, the
temperatures at both ends should be carefully
chosen.

Ping-Pong(Full-Duplex) LED.
Questions And Comments.