Patent ID: 6418248
Filing Date: 2002-07-09
Classification: H04B

Abstract:
A method of traveling-wave photodetection comprising the steps of:providing a plurality of discrete waveguide photodetectors, each discrete waveguide photodetector having a maximum detectable modulation frequency, being serially interconnected, each discrete waveguide photodetector having a length less than a quarter of a microwave wavelength at the maximum detectable modulation frequency, each discrete waveguide photodetector providing a respective discrete waveguide photodetector output current; and coherently summing each respective discrete waveguide photodetector output current to provide an RF output current; wherein the step of coherently summing includes the steps of providing respective transmission lines coupling each discrete waveguide photodetector to a summer; and adjusting lengths of the respective transmission lines to provide for current waves traveling in the respective transmission lines to arrive at the summer in phase and sum constructively.