1 Micron Fiber Optic Receiver for Mil-Aero Environment

In this SBIR effort we will develop a high-power, high-speed photodiode (PD) receiver optimized for operation at 1 micron wavelength based on collaboration with Dr. J.C. Campbells research group at the UVA. Demand of such photonic receiver arose from the urgent need of high performance microwave photonic links that replace the conventional metal cables for better SWaP, immunity to EMI and broader bandwidth. In Phase I base period, UVA will design the PD structure based on their existing 1064nm PD devices. PSI will study the PD package in term of thermal management, optical and RF integration and hermeticism. In Phase I optional period, we will fabricate and characterize the PD chip for performance metrics including bandwidth, responsivity, saturation power and linearity. PSI will make the PD package and demonstrate the proof-of-concept PD prototype receiver. In phase II, we will continue to refine the chip fabrication and packaging process for hermetic commercial products and for building advanced microwave photonic links. This effort will then provide a commercially available, compact, high-performance receivers at 1 micron wavelength. PSI is poised to insert such a module into our existing DoD projects targeted at microwave photonic links, RF signal generation and broadband antenna arrays.