VCSEL-based transceivers for data communications

Abstract

The data communications (datacom) transceiver market has experienced tremendous growth over the last fifteen years due in large part to the use of vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) and multimode optical fibers. This chapter reviews the evolution of 850 nm laser-based datacom transceivers beginning with the early use of AlGaAs edge-emitters to the adoption of VCSELs where their unique attributes have enabled significant performance enhancements and cost reductions in transceiver designs. © 2013 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.