VCSEL Arrays for Multicore Fiber Interconnects

Other conference contribution, 2016

Space-division-multiplexing using multicore optical fibers (MCFs) opens up the possibility to massively increase the data traffic capacity of optical interconnects used in data centers and high performance computing systems. One challenge with this solution is the fabrication of a dense vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) array that matches the cores of the MCF, without degrading the performance of the individual VCSELs via electrical, thermal, or optical crosstalk. Here we present the development of a hexagonal VCSEL array, with 39 µm center-to-center spacing to match the geometry of a MCF from OFS, and capable of 40 Gb/s/channel providing an aggregate capacity of 240 Gb/s.