Dr. Sidi Aboujja Presents Technical Talks on Latest SOA and Triple Junction Products at SPIE DCS

Dr. Sidi Aboujja from SemiNex presents two technical talks on our latest SOA array and highly reliable Triple Junction for automotive LiDAR at SPIE DCS 2023. These talks capture the technological advancements and application insights so that LiDAR can achieve long range with low cost and small form factors. The abstracts of these talks are listed below.

Technical Paper: High performance semiconductor optical amplifier and array for FMCW LiDAR in high-speed autonomous vehicles

Abstract

Semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) has drawn much attention due to its critical need in coherent detection scheme such as FMCW (frequency-modulated continuous-wave) in automotive LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging). Coherent detection provides more features than ToF (Time of Flight) such as speed and direction for autonomous vehicles. Instead of a bulky and expensive fiber laser, a coherent laser source with high gain SOA can achieve small form factor with Si PIC (Photonic Integrated Circuit). Here we present a proprietary SOA structure based on AlInGaAs material system with multiple quantum wells on InP substrate. The SOAs with curved and tilted straight waveguides were developed and tested. The saturated output power of such SOA at 1550nm and 1310nm can reach higher than 350mW and 450mW with high wallplug efficiency. The small signal gain exceeds 40dB for both 1310nm and 1550nm. The low anti-reflection (AR) coating can achieve 0.01% reflectivity, and the noise figure and near-field mode fields of various SOA configurations are presented and compared. An array of four SOA waveguides at 127um or 500um pitch can deliver total output power over 2 Watts with proper heat sinking. SOA arrays can also be processed as individually addressable with electrical and optical isolations. Such high-performance SOA array offers the design freedom to LiDAR systems with various scanning strategies such that long range detection can be realized. Gain chip, RSOA (Reflective SOA) based on the curved waveguide for external cavity laser configurations is tested and discussed. Self-alignment features can be built onto the SOA chipset to achieve integration of Si PIC for minimal footprint and low-cost mass production.

Technical Paper: Eye-safe high-reliability triple junction laser diode for long-range rangefinder and LiDAR

Abstract

We have developed a proprietary Triple Junction laser diode at eye-safe 1550nm based on AlInGaAs/InP material systems for LiDAR and laser range finding applications. Three monolithic laser structures with tunnel junction layers are designed to reduce mechanical stress with superior heat dissipation. It achieves 3x output power and 2x wall plug efficiency of a single junction with low operating voltage and high slope efficiency at 1W/A. A 1550nmTriple Junction laser diode allows a LiDAR or laser rangefinder to achieve the longest detection range compared to a single junction or 905nm laser diode. Here we demonstrate the high reliability of Triple Junction high power laser diodes at 1550nm for adoption in various applications. The life test was performed on Triple Junction samples with 95μm aperture and 2.5mm cavity length in a TO9 package. They were driven at average power of 700mW in pulse width of 100 μsec and 10% duty cycle at 60°C. Such stressed electrical and thermal condition is almost 20 times higher than standard operation for automotive LiDAR. We have accumulated over 1000 hours of life test on 17 devices. Based on Arrhenius conditions the estimated MTTF (mean time to failure) is 75k hours at 20°C and 17k hours at 50°C operating temperature, which is respectively 9.3x and 2.5x more than the required 8k hours in automotive applications. We also tested Triple Junction laser diodes up to 100°C and it shows no sign of COD (catastrophic optical damage). Under a high stress CW operating condition at 5W, Triple Junction laser diodes exhibit thermal rollover but return to normal performance under pulsed operation.

SemiNex is more than happy to work with you on the design-in effort or custom design requests to meet the requirements in your integrated LiDAR systems. For inquiries regarding product offerings, custom designs and future projects with SemiNex, as well as scheduling a meeting with us, contact sales@seminex.com or +1-978-326-7703. Details on the Triple Junction laser diodes and SOAs are available at seminex.com/lidar/.

Dr. Sidi Aboujja Presents Technical Talks on Latest SOA and Triple Junction Products at Photonics West

Dr. Sidi Aboujja from SemiNex presented two technical talks on our latest SOA array and highly reliable Triple Junction for automotive LiDARs at SPIE Photonics West 2023 last week. These talks capture the technological advancements and application insights so that LiDAR can achieve long range with low cost and small form factors. The abstracts of these talks are listed below.

Technical Paper: High performance semiconductor optical amplifier and array for FMCW LiDAR in high-speed autonomous vehicles

Abstract

We present an industry-leading semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) platform that exhibits top performance at both 1550nm and 1310nm used in FMCW (frequency-modulated continuous-wave) LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) for autonomous vehicles. The SOA structure is based on a proprietary AlInGaAs material system with multiple quantum wells on InP substrate. The SOAs with curved and tilted straight waveguides were developed and tested. The saturated output power of such SOA at 1550nm and 1310nm can reach higher than 450mW and 600mW. An array of four SOA waveguides at 127um or 500um pitch can deliver total output power over 2 Watts. SOA arrays can also be processed as individually addressable with electrical and optical isolations. Such high performance offers the design freedom to LiDAR systems with various scanning strategies such that long range detection can be realized. The low anti-reflection (AR) coating can achieve 0.01% reflectivity, and the noise figure and near-field mode fields of various SOA configurations are presented and compared. Gain chip based on the curved waveguide for various laser configurations is tested and discussed. The SOA chips and arrays can be integrated into a Silicon Photonic Integrated Circuit (Si PIC) to minimize the total footprint of a LiDAR system and overall cost. They include self-alignment features for the ease of integration and high coupling efficiency on Si PIC.

Technical Paper: High reliability of 1550nm triple junction laser diode for long-range automotive LiDAR

Abstract

We have developed the world-leading Triple Junction laser diode based on AlInGaAs/InP material systems for LiDAR applications. The monolithic laser structure with tunnel junction layers is designed to reduce the stress and improve the heat dissipation. It has 3x the output power and 2x the wall plug efficiency of a single junction laser due to its low operating voltage and high slope efficiency at 1W/A. A single Triple Junction laser diode at eye-safe 1550nm allows a LiDAR to achieve over 200m detection range in all-weather conditions. It can drastically improve and simplify the LiDAR design compared to other laser choices such as 905nm or fiber lasers. For mass adoption by the automotive industry here we demonstrate the high reliability required for Triple Junction high power laser diodes at 1550nm. The life test was performed on 95um aperture Triple Junction with 2.5mm cavity length in a TO9 package. They were driven at an average power of 700mW with the pulse width of 100 micro-seconds and 10% duty cycle at 90°C. Such stressed electrical and temperature condition is almost 20 times higher than standard operation for automotive LiDAR. We have accumulated for more than 1000 hours of life test on 30 devices. Based on Chi squared distribution analysis and Arrhenius equation the estimated MTTF (mean time to failure) is 248k hours at 20°C and 57k hours at 50°C operating temperature, which is respectively 31x and 7x more than the required 8k hours in automotive applications. We also tested Triple Junction laser diodes up to 100°C without performance degradation and without COD (catastrophic optical damage).

SemiNex is more than happy to work with you on the design-in effort or custom design requests to meet the requirements in your integrated LiDAR systems. For inquiries regarding product offerings, custom designs and future projects with SemiNex, as well as scheduling a meeting with us, contact sales@seminex.com or +1-978-326-7703. Details on the Triple Junction laser diodes and SOAs are available at seminex.com/lidar/.

Join SemiNex at SPIE Photonics West 2023

We are excited to announce that SemiNex will be hosting two presentations at SPIE Photonics West 2023 held in San Francisco, CA, USA in SPIE LASE on Sunday, January 29 at 9:40 am and at 11:20 am. These presentations, High reliability of 1550nm triple junction laser diode for long-range automotive LiDAR and High performance semiconductor optical amplifier and array for FMCW LiDAR in high-speed autonomous vehicles, will capture the technological and application insights of high-power Triple Junction laser arrays and high-gain Semiconductor Optical Amplifier (SOA).

We will be showcasing our patented Triple Junction laser diode and array technologies that can provide hundreds to kilo-watts of lasing power for advanced rangefinder, ToF and Flash LiDAR. The eye-safe 1350nm and 1550nm Triple Junction can easily outperform its 905nm counterpart in the signal-to-noise ratio, detection capability and range. Our small form-factor and low-cost laser diode solution is the best alternative solution to a bulky and high-cost fiber laser for autonomous vehicles.

Our new SOA products provide a high-gain and high-saturation output power, which can enable long-range FMCW LiDAR with coherent detection. SemiNex will work with you on custom designs of individual amplifiers or arrays to meet the requirements in your integrated systems.

SemiNex invites you to meet with our staff at Booth #4712 from January 31 – February 2.
For inquiries regarding product offerings, custom designs and future projects with SemiNex, as well as scheduling a meeting with us at SPIE, contact marketing@seminex.com or +1-978-326-7708. Available in-person SPIE meeting times begin on January 31 and end on February 2. Details on the Triple Junction laser diodes and SOAs are available at seminex.com/lidar/.

SemiNex Unveils High-Gain Optical Amplifiers for LIDAR

US developer of laser diodes says its latest devices enable long-range FMCW LIDAR with coherent detection.

SemiNex, the Massachusetts-based company specializing in long-wavelength laser diodes, is expanding its range of options for automotive LIDAR applications with new semiconductor optical amplifiers (SOAs) suited to frequency modulated continuous-wave (FMCW) technology.

The high-gain SOAs, available in the 1250-1650 nm wavelength range, are said to emit a high saturation output power of 500 mW, thus enabling long-range FMCW performance with coherent detection.

“SemiNex can work with you on custom designs of individual amplifiers or arrays to meet the requirements in your integrated systems,” announced the firm at the LASER World of Photonics event in Munich.

Triple-junction advantages
The move to accommodate FMCW designs, which are more complex than conventional time-flight lidars but can measure both the position and velocity of other objects on the road, follows SemiNex’s launch of triple-junction 1550 nm diodes for pulsed systems last year.

Outlining the technology behind the triple-junction devices in a presentation on the LASER trade show floor, SemiNex VP of marketing and business development Daniel Chu said the firm’s global patent on the approach meant it was the only company in the world able to produce the devices.

Because of eye safety regulations that limit the amount of optical power that can be deployed in the 905 nm region, longer-wavelength lidars offer a much greater “photon budget” – enabling the kind of long-range performance demanded for fast-moving autonomous vehicles.

Since the longer-wavelength emitters are fabricated using an indium phosphide material, they are typically much more expensive than 905 nm devices. However, SemiNex indicated that, if produced in large volumes, the triple-junction chips would be compatible with the kind of price points targeted by the automotive industry.

Efficiency gains
Chu detailed the “game-changing” characteristics of a triple-junction emitter versus a single 905 nm chip, with the 1550 nm device offering far higher pulse energy, longer target range, and superior signal-to-noise.

SemiNex’s epitaxial design is based around three active regions and two tunnel junctions, producing up to a 100 W output from a 350 µm aperture, and a significantly higher wallplug efficiency than a single-junction device.

While the use of three junctions produces three times the optical power of a single-junction design, the device’s voltage only increases by 50 per cent – meaning that the electrical efficiency is doubled.

“For time-of-flight [lidar], 1550 nm outperforms 905 nm in every category,” Chu said, adding that an array of the triple-junction emitters could deliver peak optical output power in excess of a kilowatt for flash lidar systems if required.

Chu and SemiNex’s VP of sales Ed McIntyre indicated that multiple customers were currently trialing the triple-junction diodes and high-gain SOAs, with samples of a new SOA slated to become available this summer.

The pair added that they did not expect the LIDAR industry to converge on a “single solution” for automotive applications, suggesting that there would continue to be a place for time-of-flight, flash, and FMCW approaches, as auto manufacturers work to figure out how best to combine LIDAR with other sensors such as radar and cameras in sensor fusion systems for different types of vehicles.

Join SemiNex at Laser World of Photonics in Munich

Dear Customers and Friends:

You are cordially invited to meet with SemiNex staff at Booth B4.517 at Laser World of Photonics 2022, held in Munich, Germany from April 26 to 29. We are excited to share with you our patented Triple Junction laser diode and array that can provide hundreds to kilowatts of lasing power for advanced rangefinders, ToF and Flash LiDAR. The eye-safe 1350nm and 1550nm Triple Junction can easily outperform its 905nm counterpart in the signal-to-noise ratio, detection capability and range. Our small form-factor and low cost laser diode solution is the best alternative solution to a bulky and high-cost fiber laser for autonomous vehicles.

At the show we will also unveil our new Semiconductor Optical Amplifier (SOA) with high gain and high saturation output power, which can enable long-range FMCW LiDAR with coherent detection. SemiNex can work with you on custom designs of individual amplifiers or arrays to meet the requirements in your integrated systems.

To capture the technological and application insights of high power Triple Junction laser arrays and high gain SOA, you can come to the talk presented by Dr. Daniel Chu in Forum Laser and Optics at B4.134, on Wednesday, April 27, at 1:40pm.

To have an in-person discussion at the show regarding the SemiNex product offerings, you can schedule a meeting by contacting Ed McIntyre at emcintyre@seminex.com or +1-978-326-7703. Details on the Triple Junction laser diodes are available at seminex.com/triple-junction/.



Dr. Sidi Aboujja unveiled 1550nm Triple Junction laser diodes for long-range LiDAR at Photonics West 2022

03.03.2022

At Photonics West 2022 in San Francisco, Dr. Sidi Aboujja of SemiNex Corporation unveiled the
technical details and overall performances of the new 1550nm Triple Junction laser diodes for long-range LiDAR. The presentation video can be viewed below.


In his talk, Dr. Aboujja presented the commercially available Triple Junction laser diodes which can achieve 3x the optical power of a single junction, with a mere 50% increase in the operating voltage. Such advanced design allows 2x higher in the wall plug efficiency over a single junction laser diode.  The high performance over a wide temperature range of the Triple Junction with eye-safe 1550nm allows automotive LiDAR design with smaller footprint and lower cost. A benchmark study vs. 905nm counterpart demonstrates that a LiDAR with a Triple Junction laser diode at 1550nm can generate 80x more photons, achieve 60x in the signal-to-noise ratio, 24x stronger in detection probability, and detect 3x longer distance.  This triple junction breakthrough in 1550nm diode lasers by SemiNex allows the LiDAR industry to look beyond 250m of detection distance with a single low-cost laser diode and opens up a whole array of long-range applications including high-speed autonomous vehicles.

Details on the Triple Junction laser diodes are available at www.seminex.com.  For more information and product availability, contact sales@seminex.com.

SemiNex Feature LIDAR Article Published in Laser Focus World Magazine

11.29.2021

For the first time, a thorough study of laser eye safety between 1550nm and 905nm and its performance benchmark in automotive LiDAR was reported by SemiNex Corporation and prominently published in Laser Focus World Magazine. The analysis compares the newly developed 1550nm triple junction laser diode and 905nm on key performance inputs including the eye safety levels, photon budget over the detection range, target reflectivity, and atmospheric media. The LiDAR system model with typical system parameters is then benchmarked based on the signal-to-noise ratio and probability of detection with potentially industry-transforming results.

The study demonstrates that a high-power laser diode with triple junction at eye-safe 1550nm can generate 50 times more photons per second and detect 3 times longer distance than their 905nm counterpart in a controlled head-to-head comparison. This breakthrough in 1550nm diode lasers by SemiNex allows the LiDAR industry to look beyond 200m of detection distance with a single low-cost emitter and opens up a whole array of long-range applications including high-speed autonomous vehicles. 

The benchmark study is featured in the November issue of Laser Focus World Magazine and available online at www.laserfocusworld.com. Details on the triple junction laser diodes is available at www.seminex.com.  For more information and product availability, contact sales@seminex.com.

SemiNex Showcase Innovations at CIOE 2021

09.2021

SemiNex Corporation will be at CIOE (The 23rd China International Optoelectronic Exposition) in Shenzhen from September 16th to 18th to connect with regional customers and support new applications. Innovations of high power laser diodes from 1250nm to 1940nm for LiDAR, military, medical, and industrial applications will be showcased. 

Highlights at CIOE will include:

  • 1550nm Triple Junction laser diode for long range LiDAR and rangefinders: Patent-pending multi-junction semiconductor laser diode at eye-safe wavelengths can generate 80 times more photons than 905nm from a LiDAR emitter, and achieve 3 times longer in detection distance and 24 times higher in detection capability. 

  • 1940nm Gallium Antimonide (GaSb) laser diode: SemiNex high power GaSb laser diodes provide 50% more power than comparable diode lasers in the market today for medical, material processing, and sensing applications.
  • 1450nm Laser Engines for home consumer cosmetics: This is a cost-effective solution for wrinkle removal and skin rejuvenation. Its small form factor and powerful light output allows home-use solutions in a hand-held design.
  • Laser diodes and packages: SemiNex provides varieties of laser wavelength, aperture size, cavity length, and packaging for engineering design freedom. Package options include chip-on-carrier, B/C mounts, TO cans with FAC (Fast-Axis Collimating) lens, and various fiber modules and systems. 

“We are excited to participate in CIOE and showcase our broad portfolio with best-in-class products.” says Mr. David Bean, the CEO and Founder of SemiNex. “Our local office in northern China (Liaoning) provides timely product and application support for customers in China and Asia Pacific.”

“To learn more about our laser diode portfolio, visit our Booth 2T006 in Hall 2.” says Ms. Hanyu Yang, Sales and Applications Engineer at SemiNex. “I look forward to working with our customers on various projects and applications.”  She can also be reached at hyang@seminex.com, Tel/WeChat: 15641953339.

SemiNex Welcomes Daniel Chu as VP of Marketing and Business Development

SemiNex welcomes Daniel Chu with the best laser diode technologies 

SemiNex is pleased to announce the hiring of Daniel Chu to drive business growth across the full SemiNex portfolio of high power InP and GaSb semiconductor lasers for LiDAR, medical, military, and industrial markets. Educated as a laser physicist from Northwestern University with a PhD degree, Daniel has extensive experience in product management, applications engineering, and business creation. Daniel’s career spans over 25 years in the laser and optics industry with tenures at world-known companies such as OSRAM and SDL Inc.   

Daniel brings his technical laser expertise and market experience to assist customers in developing best-in-class laser systems.  As an example, Daniel leads the SemiNex commercial team in supporting customers to pursue long-range LiDAR with patent-pending Triple Junction laser diodes. This new technology at eye-safe 1550nm allows LiDAR manufacturers to achieve 3 times the distance and 24 times the detection probability compared to a 905nm emitter. Daniel developed a benchmark calculator based on LiDAR physics to deliver the target performance for high speed autonomous vehicles and works directly with LIDAR customers to optimize their LIDAR designs for both performance and cost.  

“Daniel has a strong knowledge in semiconductor lasers and extensive experience in the photonics industry. He will deliver the highest level of technical support and service to our customers for design wins.” says Mr. David Bean, CEO and Founder of SemiNex Corporation.  

“It is such an exciting time to join SemiNex”, Daniel comments “as we not just have the most powerful 1550nm laser diode for ToF LiDAR, but also SOAs for FMCW LiDAR and GaSb 1940nm laser for medical and many other applications. We offer unparalleled performance that no others can.” Daniel continues “I look forward to working with our customers in designing in our best product offerings as cost effective solutions.”  

Besides working at the SemiNex office near Boston, Daniel will also work closely with customers in Asia Pacific, where SemiNex established a regional office in the Chinese city of Liaoyang in 2020. Besides English, Daniel speaks Mandarin fluently and understands Cantonese and Taiwanese well. To learn more about SemiNex capabilities and product offering, contact Daniel at +1 978-326-7702 and dchu@seminex.com.  

SemiNex Launches New 1900-2400nm Laser Diodes

Increases Power by More Than 50 Percent vs. Comparable Lasers on Market

Peabody, MA – Dec. 16th, 2020 – SemiNex announces its new Gallium Antimonide (GaSb) lasers in the 1900-2400nm range that provide 50% more power than comparable lasers on the market today. The new GaSb laser diodes achieve high power using a GaInAsSb/AlGaAsSb strained QW ridge waveguide technique grown by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) on GaSb substrates. SemiNex’s 1940nm laser diode demonstrates high optical power of 1.5W and a low threshold current density of less than 100 A/cm2 at room temperature in continuous-wave (CW) conditions. GaSb laser diodes are prevalent in medical, material processing and gas sensing applications.

“The introduction of this new 1940nm laser diode will support our customers in the medical, material processing and gas sensing market with higher power diodes enabling smaller, more efficient, and more effective laser systems,” says Ed McIntyre, VP of Business Development at SemiNex.  

Medical Applications

Lasers at a 1900-2400nm wavelength play a crucial role in advanced medical procedures such as varicose veins, tonsillectomies and brain surgery.

In a varicose vein procedure, the laser light is absorbed in tissue at a precise target depth to close the vein from the inside quickly without pain. This allows for a shorter operation time with limited scarring.

In a tonsillectomy procedure, laser diodes with a 1940nm wavelength cut through the tissue with reduced pain and increased efficacy when compared to other methods such as electrocautery. 1940nm lasers have twice the absorption coefficient of a 1470nm laser and 100 times that of a 980nm laser; this helps to prevent the mass pooling of blood in procedures such as neurosurgery. In a brain procedure, 1940nm lasers are capable of vaporizing and coagulating tissue, helping to prevent further blood loss and speed up the repair of damaged tissue.      

In dentistry, GaSb lasers are used in place of radiographs to detect lesions on teeth which appear as pits and fissures, signs of early occlusal decay. This early find by the laser prevents the need for surgery.   


1940nm lasers have twice the absorption of 1470nm and 100 times the absorption of lasers in the 800-1000 nm range.

Material Processing

Lasers produced in the 2µm range find use in industrial applications such as the welding of transparent plastics. GaSb laser welders allow the welding of these plastics by focusing 1940nm light that is absorbed strongly by C-H bonds in the polymer. Many transparent plastics share similarities; these plastics can be absorbed adequately by laser light in the 1940-2400nm range permitting direct processing with the lasers. When compared to lasers operating at 1µm, absorption can only be accomplished through additives to the material resulting in a more complex process. Additional applications for material processing in the 1940nm range include the processing and fabrication of bio-fluidic chips, used for biological and medical mass-screening experiments.

“Our GaSb laser didoes in the 1900-2400nm range support businesses in medical, material processing, and gas sensing fields. We are excited to enable our medical systems customers to develop higher power systems that improve recovery times and minimize swelling and scarring with higher performance laser components. We also look forward to improving the performance in plastic welding and gas sensing applications by enabling higher powers and efficiency while reducing the system size and cost,” says David Bean, CEO of SemiNex Corporation.

Gas Sensing

Lasers with a 1900-2400nm spectral range can detect atmospheric gases such as H2O, CO2 and N2O. Ammonia can be detected through the laser system by exploiting the specific absorption of the gas at a determined wavelength. Backscattered light at this wavelength is compared with the level of returned light at another wavelength to confirm the presence of the gas of interest while eliminating other potential contaminants.

SemiNex GaSb laser diodes at 1940nm are available for immediate delivery as bare chips and in TO9-can packages. Other packages at 1940nm are available upon request with reasonable lead times. Customer wavelengths from 1900-2400nm are available upon request. For more information contact SemiNex or your nearest SemiNex distributor.

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