A silicon-germanium layer layout blocks hole accumulation at the hetero interface, improving photodiode speed under high-power light input.
Separate gain-tuning contacts shift carrier multiplication into silicon, cutting excess noise while keeping APD bandwidth more stable.
Additional contacts shape the Ge-on-Si APD electric field so silicon handles multiplication, cutting excess noise and bandwidth variation.
Optical beat detection synchronizes mode-locked lasers at high pulse repetition rates with simpler, lower-cost circuitry than phase-locked loops.