Fabricating VCSELs in a high-tech start-up

Abstract

U-L-M photonics GmbH has been set up to develop next-generation vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) products and to exploit the full potential of these industry-leading devices in terms of performance and application areas. Reliability is important for all application areas for VCSELs. This paper presents the excellent reliability characteristics of U-L-M's VCSEL technology. Accumulation of all advantageous properties VCSELs are famous for, like low power consumption, circular low divergent beam profile, high modulation bandwidth, and scalability of monolithic arrangements, results in two-dimensional (2D) VCSEL arrays that appear as key components to reach highest aggregate bandwidths of tomorrow's parallel optical transceivers. We report on 2D VCSEL arrays, substrate emitting although operating at 850 nm and prepared for flip-chip bonding, that are well suited for the customer's needs in terms of speed, power consumption, and compact integration. Up to now, in most single channel transceivers, the VCSEL is packaged in a TO can and connected to the driver via a printed circuit board. We investigate the performance of a high speed VCSEL in a TO 46 package and demonstrate 10 Gbps transmission. The potential of VCSEL technology in other areas of application than datacom or telecom is just going to be exploited. We present a 760 nm single-mode VCSELs for gas monitoring applications.

Laser spectroscopic oxygen sensor using diffuse reflector based optical cell and advanced signal processing

“…The sensor probes an O 2 absorption line at a wavelength of 763 nm, where low cost vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) are available [8]. A structural diagram of the whole sensor is shown in Fig.…”