Avalanche Photodetector for Telecommunication Wavelengths

This paper presents a comprehensive simulation study of an avalanche photodetector (APD) operating at wavelengths 1310 nm and 1550 nm, utilizing Lumerical’s FDTD and Charge solvers. Key performance metrics, including dark current, photocurrent, responsivity and multiplication gain were analyzed as functions of reverse bias voltage. The results indicate that the APD exhibits a lower dark current at 1550 nm, achieving higher photocurrent and responsivity at 1310 nm. Notably, the multiplication gain remains consistent across both the wavelengths, suggesting that the avalanche multiplication process is predominantly influenced by the applied bias and material properties rather than the incident wavelength. These findings provide valuable insights for optimizing the APD performance in optical communication systems operating within these wavelength regimes.