High performance 905nm and 940nm multijunction VCSELs for automotive and industrial applications

With the continuous increase in optical power density and reduction in divergence angle (DA), near-infrared multi-junction (MJ) VCSELs, have been widely adopted to replace edge-emitting lasers in light detection and ranging (Lidar) systems. First, we will focus on high-performance MJ VCSELs through the optimized epitaxial designs and robust 6-inch (6”) fabrication process to meet various requirements of advanced automotive and industrial applications. Up to 10-junction (10-J) 905-nm and 940-nm VCSELs with power density of up to 3500 W/mm2, Gaussian-like low DA of 12°, and high duty cycle up to 0.8% (5ns pulse 1.6MHz repetition rate) operation, have been in production and deployed in fields, such as for medium-range, wide-angle Lidars on NIO ET9 sedans and ES8 SUVs and battery swap stations, and robot lawn mowers since 2024. Power reduction ratio less than 20% across -30 to 105°C at harsh operation conditions has also been demonstrated. Secondly, reliability of MJ VCSELs and AEC-Q102 standard qualification for automotive Lidar applications will be briefly discussed. Lastly, 14-junction (14-J) 940-nm VCSELs with higher PCE to further enhance the signal-to-noise ratio and resolution particularly for long-range detection will be presented.