News: Optoelectronics
7 April 2022
Lumentum launches series of multi-junction 905nm VCSEL arrays for advanced mobility and industrial applications
Lumentum Holdings Inc of San Jose, CA, USA (which designs and makes photonics products for optical networks and lasers for industrial and consumer markets) has announced the M Series of multi-junction vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) arrays for next-generation automotive, industrial light detection & ranging (LiDAR) and 3D sensing applications, and availability of the first M Series product, the M51-100 905nm 70W multi-junction VCSEL array.
Lumentum’s automotive-qualified, high-performance M Series features peak powers suited for short- and long-range advanced mobility and industrial LiDAR applications. In addition to higher available power densities, extensive accelerated life testing of the multi-junction M Series has shown the same high reliability as single-junction VCSEL devices already in volume production. The firm says that the M Series is easily integrated into customer platforms and can replace edge-emitting lasers in existing mechanically scanned systems or arrayed into configurable illumination sources for addressable, solid-state electronic scanning LiDAR systems. VCSELs provide advantages in efficiency, scalability and reliability that are essential to the accelerating rate of innovation in automotive and industrial LiDAR and 3D sensing applications, adds the company.
“The Lumentum M Series enables automotive and industrial customers to accelerate the development of next-generation LiDAR systems,” says Alex Ju, product line manager for 3D sensing. “The M51-100, with its extremely small size, is a versatile solution applicable to a wide range of customer systems,” he adds.
“We are continuing to build upon our leadership in multi-junction technology that we have developed over the past several years,” says Matt Peters, senior director of R&D for 3D sensing. “The new M Series products provide customers with highly differentiated performance and reliability in devices that address a wide range of LiDAR system architectures.”
LiDAR and 3D sensing are increasingly used in advanced mobility and industrial applications. Automotive LiDAR enables autonomy at multiple levels, from advanced adaptive cruise control (ACC) capabilities to fully autonomous vehicles (AVs). In-cabin driver and occupant monitoring systems are becoming standard parts of vehicle safety systems and are continuously improving and adding new features, such as biometric recognition. In addition, LiDAR is advancing factory automation and being used to optimize performance, safety and cost in industrial environments, including autonomous mobile robots, automated guided vehicles (AGVs), and last-mile delivery vehicles.
The M51-100 905nm 70W multi-junction VCSEL array is a compact, highly reliable, power-dense solution optimized for next-generation LiDAR systems. The product is the first of Lumentum’s high-performance M Series, which features flexibility across size, form factor and peak power to suit short- and long-range LiDAR applications. AEC-Q102 qualified, the M51-100 leverages proven high-volume production and is easily integrated into customer automotive and industrial platforms, says Lumentum. With high power output and a 0.19mm2 chip size, the M51-100 is an adaptable solution that can replace edge-emitting lasers in existing mechanical solutions or arrayed into configurable illumination sources for addressable, solid-state electronic scanning LiDAR systems.
Further M Series product releases are expected later in second-quarter 2022. The M52-100 is a 100W multi-junction VCSEL array designed for line-scanning LiDAR solutions, and the M53-100 is a 400W device tailored for flash LiDAR systems with unprecedented power from a VCSEL product.
Lumentum launches multi-junction addressable VCSEL arrays for long-range LiDAR
Lumentum launches five-and six-junction 940nm and 905nm VCSEL arrays
