Abstract: The recent progress in the device performance of the uni-traveling-carrier photodiode (UTC-PD) is described. The UTC-PD utilizes only electrons as the active carriers, and this unique feature is the key to achieving excellent high-speed and high-output characteristics simultaneously. The achieved performance includes a record 3-dB bandwidth of 310 GHz, high-power photonic millimeter-wave generation with an output power of over +13 dBm at 100 GHz, high-output-voltage photoreceiver operation at bit rates of up to 80 Gbit/s, and demultiplexing operation at 200 Gbit/s using a monolithic PD-EAM optical gate.

Abstract: We present the latest generation of our superconducting single-photon detector (SPD), which can work from ultraviolet to mid-infrared optical radiation wavelengths. The detector combines a high speed of operation and low jitter with high quantum efficiency (QE) and very low dark count level. The technology enhancement allows us to produce ultrathin (3.5 nm thick) structures that demonstrate QE hundreds of times better, at 1.55 μm, than previous 10 nm thick SPDs. The best, 10 × 10 μm2, SPDs demonstrate QE up to 5% at 1.55 μm and up to 11% at 0.86 μm. The intrinsic detector QE, normalized to the film absorption coefficient, reaches 100% at bias currents above 0.9 Ic for photons with wavelengths shorter than 1.3 μm.