News: Optoelectronics
26 September 2025
TRUMPF unveils 850nm multimode 100G datacom VCSEL
In a live demo in booth C4107 at the European Conference on Optical Communication (ECOC 2025) in Copenhagen, Denmark (29 September–1 October), TRUMPF Photonic Components GmbH of Ulm, Germany (part of the TRUMPF Group) is unveiling its new 100G vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL).
The 850nm multimode 100G datacom VCSEL features what is claimed to be excellent bandwidth and linearity over temperatures up to 85ºC, making it suitable for use in 800G SR8 and 400G SR4 active optical cables (AOCs) and transceivers, including linear pluggable optics (LPO). The VCSEL is designed to be a drop-in replacement for existing solutions with substrate thicknesses of 150μm and 200μm. The accompanying wideband photodiode provides further opportunity to optimize the performance when used as matching pair with the VCSEL.
TRUMPF already offers a 100G photodiode with wide bandwidth spanning 842–948nm wavelengths, enabling high-performing short-reach optical links for existing datacom needs.
“With competitive 100G VCSEL and PD in our portfolio, we are now optimizing our state-of-the-art production lines to ensure high-volume supply,” says VP of marketing & sales Ralph Gudde. “Simultaneously, we are also solidifying the progress on 200G 850nm, longer wavelengths like 1060nm and subwavelength gratings,” he adds.
Advanced optical data communication systems benefit from the high-speed data transmission that the VCSEL-based technology offers, says TRUMPF. The firm adds that it continues to invest heavily in its technology for higher data rates and is offering both VCSELs and photodiodes as a matching-pair solution in various layouts like singlets, 1x2, 1x4, 1x8 and/or 1x12 arrays. The VCSELs are specifically designed to meet the requirements of data centers, including for AI/ML, high-performance computing (HPC), and other bandwidth-intensive applications for stable and reliable data transmission at high speeds.
