EPIC Meeting on VCSELs Technology and Applications at SONY- Programme
Opening & Welcome
Jose Pozo, CTO, EPIC – European Photonics Industry Consortium - PDF - video
Klaus Zimmermann, General Manager, Technology Partnerships EU, Sony - PDF - video
Opening Keynote - VCSEL and edge-emitting laser technology at Sony
Osamu Maeda, Sr. Product Manager, Sony Semiconductor Solutions (JAPAN)
SESSION 1: Setting up the Scene
VCSELs, due to their small size, technical and temperature stability, simplicity and low cost of manufacturing and testing, have reached the maturity to become a dominant light source technology for volume production. In this session, many of their possible fields of application, including automotive, medicine, data transfer, security and safety, reachable with present and future technology, such as for “smart cities”, have been presented. Furthermore, an overview of the future challenges has been given concerning e.g. emission wavelength, packaging, integration and die cost, while the possibility of having a common roadmap for VCSEL production and application has been discussed. Finally, a review of future business challenges and opportunities in the VCSEL market, including an in-depth analysis of the role of present major players, has been introduced.
KEYNOTE: Technology enhancements and new applications for VCSELs
Mary Hibbs-Brenner, CEO, Osram, Vixar Subsidiary (USA) - PDF
KEYNOTE: Best practice for VCSEL ToF systems and model driven design
Krzysztof Szczerba, Sr. Staff Engineer, Finisar (USA)
KEYNOTE: Forthright scrutiny of the VCSEL business: opportunities & obstacles
SESSION 2: VCSEL Manufacturers perspective and supply chain (testing, assembly…)
This more technical session had the role of presenting three main pillars of VCSELs production. In the first third of the session, some insights about the production of VCSELs with wavelengths longer than 1 µm in single and multi-mode and of GaN-based, non- and semi-polar VCSELs in the blue spectral range have been given. Attention was also paid to the importance of integrated metrology for high-yield manufacturing of layered structures such as VCSELs e.g. applying feed-forward schemes and in feeding in-situ results to ex-situ mapping. Simulations and modelling are the important steps for foreseeing the thermal, electrical and optical behavior of a VCSEL, which were introduced in the second third of the sessions by three different companies. They focused respectively on the description of a 3D simulator, the importance of end-to-end device/circuit/system simulations and optical simulation for e.g. optimizing layer growth and modal properties. The last three companies highlighted their own strengths in the field of packaging, focusing respectively on dense packaging and relative fiber connectivity, the elaboration of micro modules and thermal management and operation stabilization for packaging and burn in.
Long wavelength VCSELs and VCSEL arrays for advanced applications in sensing and optical communications
Christian Neumeyr, CEO, Vertilas (GERMANY) - PDF - video
Progress in non-polar and semi-polar GaN VCSELs
Tal Margalith, Executive Director of Technology, SSLEEC, UC Santa Barbara (USA) - PDF - video
Metrology for MOCVD of VCSELs – latest progress for enabling high-yield manufacturing
Christian Kaspari, Senior Engineer Concept Development, Laytec (GERMANY) - PDF - video
A comprehensive 3D VCSEL simulator environment
Dominic Gallagher, CEO, Photon Design (UNITED KINGDOM)
VCSEL device and system design for manufacturing
Twan Korthorst, Director R&D, Synopsys (THE NETHERLANDS) - PDF - video
Modelling optical properties & gain spectra of VCSEL devices
Geoffrey Duggan, EMEA Regional Manager, Lumerical (UNITED KINGDOM) - PDF - video
SESSION 3: New developments for existing applications (ToF, faceID, LIDAR, optical comms,…)
One strength of the VCSEL market is the wide range of applications that can host these devices. After a documented overview of the present and projected future applications and potentials of 3D sensing and LIDAR in mobile phone and automotive industry and their major players, this session proceeded with the presentations of the capabilities of three market leaders.Comparisons of direct and indirect ToF to structured light methods for 3D sensing applications, of different diffuser technologies and of CW to long-pulsed laser operation for far field propagation were analyzed. Eye safety concerning the use of certain wavelengths and/or specific technologies and laser reliability, brightness and maximum power and slope efficiencies have been presented as recurring challenges. The session was concluded by the description of the potential of thermoplastic polyammidic resin in molding and overmolding of lenses and diffusers also in VCSEL applications.
VCSEL – a market fueled by smartphone applications. But not only…
Pierrick Boulay, Market & Technology Analyst, Yole Development (FRANCE) - PDF - video
KEYNOTE: VCSEL – driven ToF applications and its market trend
Andy Seo, Sr. Product Line Manager, Lumentum (USA) - PDF
KEYNOTE: High power VCSELs for 3D cameras
Julien Boucart, Sr. Product Manager, II-VI Laser Enterprise (SWITZERLAND) - PDF - video
About a VCSEL: core component of a LiDAR sensor family
Eckart Gerster, Quality and Reliability Manager, SICK (GERMANY) - PDF
SESSION 4: Upcoming applications (atomic clocks, high power pump lasers, smart pixel displays, lighting…)
What is stunning of VCSEL technology is still the wide variety of future applications and huge potential it has, despite the present already impressive diversity in operation. One of these new-born applications is OCT, where MEMS-VCSELs have demonstrated better performances than traditional Swept-Source-OCT for medical and non-medical applications. Moving towards MID-IR, also other applications can be envisioned, such as gas sensing, which can be boosted if the VCSEL is electrically instead of optically pumped. eVCSELs are a 2019 breakthrough with a bright future in applications after present production challenges will be overcome. CW GaN-based blue and green VCSELs are also a reality. With a single power in the range of 10s of milliwatts, super-watt class arrays in the visible spectral range are a direct achievement with bright possibilities for future applications. 4D solid-state LIDAR systems are also a near-future application for VCSELs in automotive, once some specific challenges concerning e.g. resistance to extreme conditions, beam quality and testing will be overcome. Hermetic-sealed VCSELs have the potential to drive far, up to space, but also for medical applications and miniature atomic clocks for sensing.
KEYNOTE: Applications for broadly tunable MEMS-VCSELs
Peter Heim, CTO & General Manager, Thorlabs Quantum Electronics (USA) - PDF
Sony’s blue and green VCSELs for future applications
Tatsushi Hamaguchi, Senior Scientist, Sony (JAPAN) - PDF
13xx nm GaAs-based VCSEL arrays for sensing applications
Sabeur Siala, VP R&D & Engineering, Array Photonics (USA)
VCSEL in automotive 4D solid-state LiDAR application
Friederieke Gorris, VCSEL Technology Expert, Ibeo Automotive Systems (GERMANY) - PDF - video
VCSEL miniature packages from implants to space
Stefan Mohrdiek, Head of Packaging & Optics, CSEM (SWITZERLAND) - PDF - video
High precision 3D printing (HP3DP) – freeform optics for VCSEL applications
Benedikt Stender, CTO, Multiphoton Optics (GERMANY) - PDF