Photodiode linearity requirements for radio-frequency photonics and demonstration of increased performance using photodiode arrays

The impact that photodiode nonlinearities have on intensity-modulation direct-detection analog photonic links is described. The second- and third-order linearity requirements for photodiodes, quantified in terms of output intercept points, are calculated. Measured data at 1 GHz for a high-current (60-mA) partially-depleted-absorber photodiode are presented. A four-photodiode 26-mA array at 5 MHz is demonstrated to achieve modulation-limited third-order performance and a second-harmonic output intercept point of 84 dBm.