Title :
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
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);
Journal_Title :
Photonics Technology Letters, IEEE
DOI :
10.1109/LPT.2005.863986
