SiGe Waveguide Photodetector
Application Notes
This application note demonstrates the design and simulation of a Silicon Germanium (SiGe) waveguide photodetector using Keysight’s RSoft FullWAVE and Sentaurus TCAD. Germanium’s strong absorption at telecom wavelengths and Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor (CMOS) compatibility make it an ideal material for integrated photodetectors in silicon photonics.
The photodetector design aims to balance high responsivity, low capacitance and high bandwidth within a compact device. RSoft tools calculate the optical modes and absorption profile, while Sentaurus TCAD uses this optical data to simulate the device’s electrical response.
This combined simulation approach provides a comprehensive and efficient workflow to optimize the photodetector’s optical and electronic performance for integration into silicon photonic systems.