Ultrawide-band silicon microring avalanche photodiode with linear photocurrent-wavelength response

We report a CMOS-compatible silicon microring-enhanced avalanche photodiode based on linear defect-state absorption in a p + p n + junction, with high responsivities exceeding 1 A/W at telecommunication wavelengths. The large photogenerated currents give rise to giant thermo-optic nonlinearity in the microring resonator, resulting in a linear photocurrent-wavelength response spanning the full free spectral range of the microring. This unique photocurrent spectrum could enable novel applications in wavelength-resolved photodetection, such as compact on-chip spectrometers, linear chirp frequency laser source characterization, and low-cost refractometric sensors without requiring precise wavelength-tunable lasers.