Performance comparison between vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser and quantum-well modulator for short-distance optical links

Author

Cho, Hoyeol ; Kapur, Pawan ; Saraswat, Krishna C.

Author_Institution

Dept. of Electr. Eng., Stanford Univ., CA

Volume

18

Issue

3

fYear

2006

Firstpage

520

Lastpage

522

Abstract

We quantify and compare two competing transmitter technologies: vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) and quantum-well modulator (QWM) for the interchip communication using high-speed optical links. VCSEL-based links are power favorable compared to QWM-based links at higher bandwidths (20 Gb/s) and larger distances. However, the QWM is better for lower detector capacitances. We also extend the comparison to high-speed electrical links and quantify the critical length beyond which optical links are power favorable compared to electrical links for both VCSEL and QWM transmitters

Keywords

optical interconnections; optical modulation; optical transmitters; quantum well devices; semiconductor lasers; surface emitting lasers; QWM; VCSEL; interchip communication; quantum-well modulator; transmitter; vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser; Integrated circuit interconnections; Optical buffering; Optical fiber communication; Optical modulation; Optical receivers; Optical transmitters; Power dissipation; Quantum well lasers; Surface emitting lasers; Vertical cavity surface emitting lasers; Electrical interconnect; high-speed interchip communications; optical interconnect; quantum-well modulator (QWM); vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL);

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Photonics Technology Letters, IEEE

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

1041-1135

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/LPT.2005.863986

Filename

1580552