Manufacturing VCSELs on 150mm and 200mm wafer formats

Vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) emitting in the 800 – 1100 nm range play a significant role in short-reach data communication as well as 3D sensing applications. High-volume VCSEL production on 150-mm (6-inch) diameter substrates is becoming standard and work has begun on transitioning to 200-mm (8-inch) production. Here we discuss the relative advantages of GaAs and Ge large area substrates, the reduction in substrate thickness that can be achieved using Ge and the latest results for high speed generic VCSEL designs.