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Effect of the Optical Bias on the a-Si:H Optical Demultiplexer Device

Authors:
Miguel Fernandes
Manuela Vieira
Manuel Vieira
Paula Louro

Keywords: Optical sensor, WDM

Abstract:
This paper presents results on the use of multilayered a-SiC:H heterostructures as a device for wavelength-division demultiplexing of optical signals. The devices presented enable the simplification of the optical front end system by using their intrinsic color selectivity to avoid the need of external optical filters. The device is composed of two stacked p-i-n photodiodes, each optimized for the absorption of a part of the optical spectrum. Band gap engineering was used to adjust the photogeneration and recombination rates profiles of the intrinsic absorber regions of each photodiode to short and long wavelength absorption and carrier collection in the visible spectrum. The photocurrent signal using different input optical channels (wavelengths) was analyzed at reverse and forward bias and under steady state illumination. A demultiplexing algorithm based on the voltage controlled selectivity of the device is proposed and tested. The operation frequency of the device was analyzed under different optical bias conditions. An electrical model of the WDM device is presented and supported by the solution of the respective circuit equations. The main application of these devices is in the field of optical communications that use the wavelength division multiplexing technique to encode multiple signals into the same transmission medium. Other possible applications of the device in optical communication systems are also proposed.

Pages: 118 to 122

Copyright: Copyright (c) IARIA, 2011

Publication date: August 21, 2011

Published in: conference

ISSN: 2308-3514

ISBN: 978-1-61208-145-8

Location: Nice/Saint Laurent du Var, France

Dates: from August 21, 2011 to August 27, 2011