Abstract
Vertical-Cavity Surface-Emitting Laser (VCSEL) diodes emerged in 1999 into
very significant commercial use, more than 20-years after the initial baseline
research. The VCSEL laser concept derives from the early strained-lattice
research of Dr. Kenichi Ida and his students at Tokyo Institute of Technology
1979-80.
The underlying demand for a VCSEL-based capability, however, was not yet ready
(in the 1980s to early 1990s) to support commercial operations. This resulted
in an evolutionary “fits and starts” period of organization,
dissolutions, restructuring, reformation and other turmoil.
United States military weapon system planners in the late 1980s foresaw a far
future need for many-orders-of-magnitude greater data transport than was
feasible at that time; to be accomplished in very little physical space and
being rugged enough for operation in severe environments. It appeared that
single-diode edge emitter capabilities could not be pushed up enough to meet
the need.
The nature of the struggle to bring VCSELs to a viable market position may be
inferred from the “Genealogy of VCSELs” chart constructed by
ElectroniCast Consultants.
ElectroniCast provides this one-page chart for clients that want to keep
information regarding this important part of advanced photonics history in
their archives.
Genealogy of VCSELs published by ElectroniCast in June 20, 2012. This report consists of 1 Page and the price starts from US $ 420.
