A Long-Wavelength 10V Optical-to-Electrical InGaAs Photogenerator

We report a high-voltage integrated optical-to-electrical power converter, or photogenerator, operating in the long wavelength (1480-1650nm) regime for use in fiber optic networks. These devices deliver power at voltages in excess of 10V, which is sufficient to operate switches, micromechanical devices, electronic controllers, optoelectronic circuits and other electrical devices. The high-voltage photogenerator enables provisioning and protection at unpowered nodes in fiberoptic networks, using only the long wavelength light present in the optical fiber as the power source. We also demonstrated its use with a MEMS optical shutter to construct a novel optical power limiter.