Ring-aperture VCSELs show best LI performance, argue researchers
jwt0625 · x · 2026-10-27
Sharing a 2026 paper on mode control in ring lithographic aperture VCSELs, the author notes the ring aperture delivers the best LI performance and cleanest beam — the trick is making current follow the mode.
The broader point: we still have little control over lasers; most remain "dumb old geometry" because optical communication historically asked for just one wavelength, one spatial mode and one polarization. Multi-wavelength, multi-mode, dual-polarization, low-noise lasers get more sensitive as they get more complex, and practical bottlenecks — PM fiber price, package and front-panel real estate — end up dictating design choices. Figures compare near-field/far-field mode images and LI curves across aperture geometries.
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