Chinese Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics and Physics (CIOMP) has developed a micro module containing four vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) capable of emitting 210W at 110A current injection in short-pulse operation. The foreign researchers commented that this is the highest value reported for a VCSEL module consisting of single emitters.

The dimension of the module is only 2.2X2.2 mm². The breakthrough pushed the application fields of VCSELs toward laser fuzing, medical treatment, car-sensing, and laser ranging. This achievement had been published on JJAP [Jianwei Zhang, Jpn. J. Appl. Phys., vol53, p070303, 2014], and reported by the famous photoelectronic press of Semiconductor TODAY.

To meet the requirements of applications such as laser fuzing、laser ranging, this micro VCSEL module was powered by the current source with high repetition frequency of 10kHz and ultra-narrow pulse of 30ns. Each high-power single emitters of micro module is connected by series to solve the high current source required by the general high-power VCSEL devices. The smart distribution of the lead reduces the inductance and capacitance in the circuit, and also ensures that the whole module performs the rapid response.

VCSELs are very attractive as high-power light sources owing to their advantageous of circle spot size and their being free of catastrophic optical damage. The high-power semiconductor laser research group at CIOMP has investigated more than ten years on the high-power VCSELs. The output power of 92W from a single emitter had been reported by this group at 2012, and now the VCSEL module with hundreds of watts has also been realized.