Low-cost, polarisation independent,tapered photodiodes with bandwidth over50 GHz

50 GHz bandwidth photodiodes, attaining a compression point of +12 dBm, have been fabricated. The structure design allows an almost complete absorption at 25 µm, corresponding to 0.5 A/W responsivity and gives a polarisation dependence as low as ±0.1 dB. These components have been realised with a low-cost technology including etched waveguide input facet, antireflection coating on wafer and cleaving V-grooves.