Advanced Methods of Semiconductor Research Seminar – Tuesday 2nd of December 2025
We cordially invite you to Advanced Methods of Semiconductor Research Seminar on Tuesday 2nd of December 2025 at 13:15 in room 321, building A-1, where there will be delivered a lecture:
The Hidden Lasers Behind AI, Face ID and LiDAR: How VCSELs Are Made
by Dr Anna Szerling
from Institute of Microelectronics and Photonics, Łukasiewicz Research Network
The lecture abstract is attached below.
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Semiconductor lasers have revolutionized modern technologies, from high-speed telecommunication to sensing and autonomous systems. Among them, VCSELs (Vertical-Cavity Surface-Emitting Lasers) play a central role: they power LiDAR, enable Face ID in iPhones, and are becoming key components in AI-driven optical neural networks. VCSELs combine microscale dimensions, low thresholds, modulation bandwidths up to 30 GHz, easy wafer-level array fabrication, and a highly mature technology platform. Most importantly, their geometry can be engineered with remarkable flexibility, allowing optical coupling, external excitation, and strong nonlinear interactions making them exceptionally promising building blocks for advanced photonic architectures. During this seminar, I will introduce the fundamentals of VCSEL technology and fabrication, highlighting how design and processing influence their spectral properties, modulation speed, and emission behavior. I will also present our research aimed at further improving VCSEL performance and tailoring devices for next-generation photonic and AI applications.
