A tapered waveguide is provided for connection between an input waveguide and a photodiode. The width of the tapered waveguide increases as it extends from the input end that is connected to the input waveguide towards the output end that is connected to the photodiode. The tapered waveguide has an optimum half spread angle to cause higher-order mode excitation when receiving optical signal from the input waveguide. The photodiode either has a constant width or increases in width as it extends away from the output end of the tapered waveguide, its half spread angle being equal to or less than the half spread angle of the tapered waveguide.