SBIR-STTR Award

This Phase I Small Business Innovation Research proposal describes the development of the most viable technology for 1300nm vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs). The technical approach overcomes the problems encountered by the many other approaches being pursued and published. Futhermore, it will minimize development time and is compatible with commercially available manufacturing systems. Picolight's ongoing progress in longwave VCSEL technology will be leveraged. The Phase I program has the agressive goal to demonstrate and evaluate 2.5GHz modulation in a 1300nm VCSEL. Compatibility with Picolight driver circuitry will also be evaluated. Additionally, designs will be made for mil-spec-compliant, Gigabit-Ethernet-compliant, and reliable VCSELs for datacom in both multi- and single-mode packages. The Phase II program will develop commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) 1300nm VCSELs suitable for shipboard data links over distances at least 1km and at speeds and arrays at least 1x12 in size. The 1300nm VCSEL effort will be a materials development, and will be in concert with synergistic Picolight efforts in VCSEL design, packaging, driver/receiver circuits, and small-form-factor transceivers.

This Phase II Small Business Innovation Research proposal describes the development of proprietary materials and structures, which is the most viable technology for 1300nm vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs). This technical approach overcomes the problems encountered by the many other approaches being pursued and published. Furthermore it will minimize development time and is compatible with commercially available manufacturing systems. Picolight's ongoing progress in longwave VCSEL progress will be leveraged. This Phase II program has the aggressive goal to demonstrate and evaluate 2.5GHz modulation in 1300nm VCSEL arrays over a wide operating temperature range. Designs will be made for mil-spec-compliant, Gigabit- Ethernet-compliant, and reliable VCSELs for datacom in both multi- and single-mode packages. The program will also develop commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) 1300nm VCSELs suitable for shipboard data links over distances at least 1km and at speeds at least 2.5Gb/sec. The 1300nm VCSEL effort will be in concert with synergistic Picolight efforts in VCSEL design, packaging, driver/receiver circuits, and small- form-factor transceivers.

Benefits:
The 1300nm VCSELs will have large and rapidly growing commercial markets. Gigabit Ethernet alone in the 802.3-LX (1300nm) standard has projected markets of $200M and $500M in the years 2002 and 2004. Additional markets at 2.5Gb/s for telecom switches, metro-area networks, and 10-Gigabit Ethernet will make the markets exceed $1Billion/year by 2005.

Keywords:
VCSEL 1300nm VCSEL Gigabit Ethernet parallel communications data communication gigabit transceivers supercomputers shipboard data links