Design criteria for increasing the bandwidth-efficiency product of GaAs p-i-n photodetectors

Using commercial and homemade simulation tools, this letter investigates how the geometrical and technological parameters of the p–i–n junction, particularly the p+‐ and n+‐regions, influence the electrical and optical performances of GaAs p–i–n lumped and traveling‐wave photodetectors (TWPDs). It is concluded that, for TWPDs, the electrical bandwidth and quantum efficiency can be optimized nearly separately as a function of the parameters of the p‐, i‐, and n‐regions. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 29: 150–155, 2001.