Improved Design of Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser for 3D Sensing in Internet of Things Applications

Abstract

Internet of things (IOT) and Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser (VCSEL) future can be seen together, since VCSEL technology-based 3D sensors are introduced for IoT applications. The improved VCSEL structure design with fixed wavelength using a thermally actuated cantilever structure is presented. This improved structure of VCSEL will help us in realizing athermal VCSEL. In athermal VCSEL the dependency of VCSEL on temperature will be much less because it will not require temperature controllers. Realizing fully temperature-independent VCSEL (i.e., athermal VCSEL) is still a challenge but we can reduce it to some extent. In this chapter, recent diversification of application of VCSEL technology from data communication to sensing has been discussed. This proposed VCSEL structure may give us an opportunity to improve the VCSEL technology. Therefore, smart 3D sensors based on VCSEL will help in making internet of things applications more reliable and will directly or indirectly serve the concept of smart homes and smart cities.