More Than Moore - High-Bandwidth 1135 nm Sb-Doped VCSEL for Silicon Photonics: Performance, TEM, and EDX Analyses
More Than Moore - High-Bandwidth 1135 nm Sb-Doped VCSEL for Silicon Photonics: Performance, TEM, and EDX Analyses
Wednesday, November 19, 2025
Summary:
This study presents a 1135 nm vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) optimized for silicon photonics. Incorporating 1–2% Sb-doped InGaAs/GaAs quantum wells, the device achieves a –3 dB bandwidth of 25.38 GHz at 10 mA within a GaAs-compatible process. Such a VCSEL array device with 6 μm oxide aperture ensures robust optical confinement, yielding 14.96 mW output at 80 mA, a 1137.98 nm peak with 0.627 nm FWHM, and an SMSR of 12.63 dB, indicating high spectral purity. The beam shows symmetric divergence (18.33° X, 19.09° Y). Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) analyses reveal smooth interfaces and uniform Sb distribution due to Sb’s surfactant effect, enhancing material quality and wavelength control. Stable operation from 30°C to 85°C demonstrates the VCSEL’s suitability for high-speed optical interconnects in data centers and AI systems.
This study presents a 1135 nm vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) optimized for silicon photonics. Incorporating 1–2% Sb-doped InGaAs/GaAs quantum wells, the device achieves a –3 dB bandwidth of 25.38 GHz at 10 mA within a GaAs-compatible process. Such a VCSEL array device with 6 μm oxide aperture ensures robust optical confinement, yielding 14.96 mW output at 80 mA, a 1137.98 nm peak with 0.627 nm FWHM, and an SMSR of 12.63 dB, indicating high spectral purity. The beam shows symmetric divergence (18.33° X, 19.09° Y). Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) analyses reveal smooth interfaces and uniform Sb distribution due to Sb’s surfactant effect, enhancing material quality and wavelength control. Stable operation from 30°C to 85°C demonstrates the VCSEL’s suitability for high-speed optical interconnects in data centers and AI systems.