NSF Award
0128456
This Small Business Technology Transfer Research (STTR) Phase I Project will further develop a nanostructure technology for use as the active material of a fiber optic laser. Prior research has demonstrated that self-organized III-V semiconductor nanostructures grown on GaAs (gallium arsenide) substrate can operate as the gain region of a 1.3 micron wavelength laser, and that these structures are effective in realizing vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs). 1.3 micron VCSELs are a key device for high speed fiber optic links for use in Ethernet and other metro access and metro applications. This project will have access to a high quality epitaxial growth facility with the capability to grow the III-V nanostructures and VCSEL mirrors and to develop a broad range of electronic and optoelectronic device materials.<br/><br/>The commercial application of this project is in the fiber optics communications market. It is estimated that the market for a 1.3 micron VCSEL could reach close to $1 billion within the next 10 years.
