10 Gbit/s VCSELs for datacom: devices and applications

Abstract

High data-rate communication links are placing increasing demands on the performance and cost of semiconductor-laser diodes. Vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) are ideal light sources for 10 Gbit/s applications. At Avalon Photonics Ltd., high-performance multimode VCSELs and VCSEL arrays are developed and fabricated for applications in low-cost fiber-optic communication links. An overview of static and dynamic characteristics of oxide-confined 850 nm VCSELs with data rates of 10 Gbit/s is presented. These 10 Gbit/s VCSELs are developed for the next generation 10 Gigabit Ethernet standard. Results show low threshold, high temperature operation, high modulation efficiency, short rise and fall times, and well-open eye-diagrams at different temperatures. Transmission over 600 m high-bandwidth multimode fiber at 10 Gbit/s is demonstrated. Mainly due to their low noise level and high linearity, these state-of-the-art devices are also well suited for transparent fiber-optic links using subcarrier multiplexed modulation schemes. Spurious-free dynamic ranges greater than 100 dBHz2/3 are reported.