Recently, the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT) in Japan announced that its team of physicists has successfully developed the world's first surface laser based on indium quantum dots, capable of emitting far-infrared light at the standard wavelength of 1550 nanometers, making it suitable for optical communication systems.
Traditional vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) are limited in application due to their operation in the near-infrared spectrum (850-940 nanometers). However, the NICT team achieved 1550-nanometer wavelength laser output for the first time by arranging multiple layers of indium quantum dots on an indium phosphide substrate. Quantum dots are composed of indium and arsenic atoms, with their size precisely designed to mimic artificial atomic properties. Their array is separated by ultra-thin layers, and when electrified, they generate 1550-nanometer infrared radiation pulses.
The laser offers advantages such as compact size, low heat generation, and minimal electrode current requirements. Scientists note that the new technology could significantly reduce the cost of optical communication transmitters, facilitate the integration of lasers into consumer and industrial electronic chips, and lay the groundwork for developing next-generation optical communication systems capable of high-temperature operation and high-speed performance.
