VCSELs are an optoelectronic device that combines the performance of an traditional semiconductor laser with the cost-savings of an LED. Unlike conventional edge-emitting lasers, VCSELs emit optical power from the surface of the wafer or chip. This enables wafer probing before die sorting and packaging. In addition, VCSELs exhibit superior wavelength stability over temperature that can be used with IR bandpass filters to remove additional background noise from the received signal.
VCSELs possess performance advantages over both conventional LEDs and edge-emitting lasers.
- High efficiency and low power consumption
- Symmetric, low divergence output beams
- Scalable die designs for high power
- Fast rise and fall times
- Controllable single transversal mode and polarization
- Exceptional wavelength stability with temperature
- Flexibility in packaging
VCSELs provide benefit to a large variety of applications in several markets.
Vixar’s list of published VCSEL application notes
Published scientific papers illustrating the application of Vixar VCSELs.