News: Optoelectronics
2 August 2023
Coherent ships 200 billionth VCSEL emitter for sensing
Materials, networking and laser technology firm Coherent Corp of Saxonburg, PA, USA (formerly II-VI Inc before it acquired Coherent in July 2022) says that it has now shipped more than 200 billion vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) emitters to date for sensing applications.
“In 2013, we began working on two-dimensional VCSEL arrays for 3D sensing in smartphones,” says Dr Giovanni Barbarossa, chief strategy officer & president, Materials Segment. “We scaled our production capabilities from 3-inch to 6-inch wafers in 2017, just in time to help enable the market launch of the first smartphones with facial biometrics,” he adds. “We believe sensing applications based on semiconductor lasers will continue to expand into new and exciting applications such as in smart watches for health monitoring and in smart glasses for extended reality. VCSELs will also continue to enable a growing market for in-cabin sensing and LiDAR in automotive.”
Coherent says that it continues to innovate in sensing through vertical integration of differentiated technologies. It recently announced a new VCSEL module technology that enables ultra-compact pattern projectors, flood illuminators, and tightly integrated sensing subsystems. This patented module technology relies on an innovative flip-chip assembly of backside-emitting VCSEL arrays on application-specific integrated circuits and supports the integration of photodetector arrays.
