Patent ID: 6920290

Claim:
A high bandwidth multiple wavelength receiver suitable for use in a wavelength division multiplexing optical communication system, the communication system comprising a plurality of wavelength channels, each wavelength channel of the plurality of wavelength channels being of a different wavelength with respect to each of the remaining wavelength channels of the plurality of wavelength channels, the receiver comprising: a plurality of photodetectors for receiving the plurality of wavelength channels, each individual one of the wavelength channels being received by at least one respective photodetector of the plurality of photodetectors, each individual one of the photodetectors thereby creating at least a portion of a respective wavelength channel signal, and a plurality of high speed amplifiers, the number of high speed amplifiers being equal to the number of the plurality of photodetectors, each individual one of the high speed amplifiers being connected to a respective one of the plurality of photodetectors, each individual one of the high speed amplifiers being for amplifying a respective portion of the respective wavelength channel signal, wherein each individual one of the photodetectors comprises: a plurality of first elongate elements for absorbing a respective wavelength channel and thereby creating electrical carriers, the plurality of first elongate elements forming a first diffraction grating for a respective wavelength channel; a plurality of second elongate elements for absorbing said respective wavelength channel and thereby creating electrical carriers, the plurality of second elongate elements forming a second diffraction grating for said respective wavelength channel, a period of the second diffraction grating being equal to a period of the first diffraction grating, the plurality of second elongate elements being substantially perpendicular to and intersecting the plurality of first elongate elements so as to form a two-dimensional diffraction grating having a first common major surface and a second common major surface, said second common major surface being opposite the first common major surface; a first electrical contact disposed on the first common major surface of the two-dimensional diffraction grating; a second electrical contact disposed on the second common major surface of the two-dimensional diffraction grating, the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact being disposed so as to provide for electrical carrier flow through the two-dimensional diffraction grating thereby creating a respective wavelength channel signal; and a reflector for reflecting the respective wavelength channel, the reflector being disposed on a surface of the second electrical contact, the surface being remote from the second common major surface.