A novel monolithic distributed traveling-wave photodetector with parallel optical feed

We report on a novel monolithic distributed traveling wave photodetector with parallel optical feed to an array of individual photodiodes using an integrated multimode interference (MMI) coupler to attain high saturation current. The parallel optical feed reduces the maximum photocurrent and photocurrent density seen by any single photodiode, thus increasing the maximum linear photocurrent of the detector. We have successfully fabricated a device with a maximum linear photocurrent of 20 mA and a responsivity of 0.13 A/W.