VCSEL, or Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser, is a semiconductor microlaser diode. VCSELs emit light vertically, in a cylindrical beam from the surface of a fabricated wafer. VCSELs offer significant advantages when compared to edge-emitting lasers which are used in the majority of fiber optic communications devices.
Advantages |
Applications |
VCSELs
have high performance and low cost advantages. |
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| 1)
The structure can be integrated in two-dimensional array configuration. 2) Low threshold currents enable high-density arrays. 3) Surface-normal emission and nearly identical to the photo detector geometry give easy alignment and packaging. 4) Circular and low divergence output beams eliminate the need for corrective optics. 5) Passive versus active fiber alignment, combined with high fiber-coupling efficiency. 6) Low-cost potential because the devices are completed and tested at the wafer level. 7) Lower temperature-sensitivity compared to edge-emitting laser diodes. 8) High transmission speed with low power consumption. |
VCSELs are effective emitters for fiber data communication in the speed range of 100Mbs and 1Gbs. VCSELs enable high performance systems in Gigabit Ethernet, Fiber Channel, and ATM markets. VCSELs integrate well with OEM systems design. VCSELs provide enhanced performance benefits to: local area
networks, |
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