New product recommendation of Johnson & Johnson optoelectronics: laser VCSEL (TOF)

New product recommendation of Johnson & Johnson optoelectronics: laser VCSEL (TOF)

In 2017, the debut of the iPhone X made 3D sensor technology, which offers Face ID to unlock a person's Face, a big hit, as well as the VCSEL, the core component of the 3D sensor module. The VCSEL technology, which has been turned red again by apple, is a type of infrared laser technology.

1.What is VCSEL? How does VCSEL work?

VCSEL, which stands for vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser, is a single-chip laser resonator emitting light perpendicular to the surface of a semiconductor chip, opposite the side emitting laser (EEL) light emitted from the edge of the chip.

2. What are the advantages of VCSEL over EEL (edge emitting laser)?

Similarities: the bandwidth of EEL and VCSEL was narrow; The extremely short switching times of EEL and VCSEL make them suitable for TOF (time of flight) applications.

VCSEL technology combines the technical advantages of both sides. The temperature sensitivity of the VCSEL wavelength was much lower than that of the EEL. It can emit temperature optics in a given direction, has a high energy density and simple package of infrared light, and has the spectral width of a linear transmitter, such as EEL technology. The key feature of this surface emitter is that it not only has lower production cost and lower output power than edge emitter, but also has excellent beam quality.

3. Where is VCSEL used?

VCSEL technology can now be used in many applications and various end consumer markets, such as robots, mobile devices, surveillance, unmanned aerial vehicles, and AR/VR. VCSEL is a good choice for applications that require high-speed modulation capabilities, such as cameras and biometrics.

With lower production cost and higher reliability, VCSEL is widely used in electronic consumer products, such as 3D sensor and facial recognition, which are considered to be its major market growth points.

4. Similar to infrared technology, what manufacturing synergies will VCSEL bring?

The similarities with infrared technology also bring manufacturing synergies, reflected in integration, packaging and testing processes:

● chip manufacturing: full vertical structure enables manufacturers to keep production costs low by using traditional semiconductor manufacturing equipment

● reliability: VCSEL will not appear the fault of traditional laser structure, such as dark line. Also, because VCSEL can be installed in arrays and have a long life, they are not afraid of catastrophic optical damage unlike systems based on a single or small number of leds /EEL

● testability: VCSEL can withstand complete testing and overload inspection in chip state. This not only increases production but also lowers costs

● scalability: VCSEL can easily form a one-dimensional or two-dimensional array to increase output power to meet specific requirements

● packaging: VCSEL can use traditional low-cost LED packaging equipment, reduce the cost, and allow LED to replace the existing VCSEL equipment

● custom packaging: on-board chip technology and custom packaging can be used to simplify the system integration process

5. Will VCSEL replace other infrared technologies?

Although VCSEL has many advantages over prior art, it is not a universal solution that automatically applies to all industries. The VCSEL will not compete with existing technologies, but will be an expansion of the infrared technology product lineup.