Tunable long-wavelength vertical-cavity lasers: the engine of next generation optical networks?

Author

Harris, James S., Jr.

Author_Institution

Solid State & Photonics Lab., Stanford Univ., CA, USA

Volume

6

Issue

6

fYear

2000

Firstpage

1145

Lastpage

1160

Abstract

The incredible growth of the Internet and data transmission are pushing the bandwidth requirements for fiber networks and expansion of metro and local area networks at an unprecedented pace. One of the key requirements for a great expansion of optical networks is low cost, high-performance tunable lasers that are easily packaged and coupled to fiber. The paper reviews the terrain of both materials and device technologies that are currently driving this optical revolution and speculates on the future directions and if a single, all encompassing technology, the "Holy Grail," might be realized by any of the contenders.

Keywords

Internet; laser beams; laser cavity resonators; laser modes; laser tuning; metropolitan area networks; optical fibre LAN; optical fibre couplers; optical fibre networks; optical transmitters; reviews; semiconductor lasers; surface emitting lasers; 1.25 to 1.6 mum; Holy Grail; Internet; all encompassing technology; bandwidth requirements; contenders; data transmission; device technologies; fiber networks; key requirements; local area networks; low cost high-performance tunable lasers; material technologies; metro area networks; next generation optical networks; optical networks; optical revolution; reviews; tunable long-wavelength vertical-cavity lasers; unprecedented pace; Data communication; Fiber lasers; IP networks; Optical fiber LAN; Optical fiber devices; Optical fiber networks; Paper technology; Search engines; Tunable circuits and devices; Vertical cavity surface emitting lasers;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics, IEEE Journal of

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

1077-260X

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/2944.902163

Filename

902163