ABSTRACT
In the receiver or silicon P-N photodiode, the main objective is the generation of photocurrent. The photocurrent of a P-N or PIN photodiode depends on a number of variables. A photodiode has the best performance when the largest number of photons is absorbed in the depletion region. The optimization of response time and bandwidth between a P-N junction photodiode and a PIN photodiode is somewhat analogous. Both devices require minimizing capacitance and controlling the width of the depletion layers. In the PIN photodiode, the response time is proportional to the i-layer, which for this report is analogous to the depletion layer. Operation of the P-N or the PIN photodiode may either be in the forward or the reverse mode. The response time for a given PIN photodiode depends on the areas of the photodiode that are irradiated, the amount of reverse bias applied, the capacitance, and the value of the effective load resistance.
