Institute of Advanced Data Transfer Systems, ITMO University, Saint Petersburg 197101, Russia
Sergey Blokhin
Ioffe Institute, Laboratory of Physics of Semiconductor Heterostructures, Saint Petersburg 194021, Russia
Evgenii Kolodeznyi
Institute of Advanced Data Transfer Systems, ITMO University, Saint Petersburg 197101, Russia
Leonid Karachinsky
Institute of Advanced Data Transfer Systems, ITMO University, Saint Petersburg 197101, Russia
Innokenty Novikov
Institute of Advanced Data Transfer Systems, ITMO University, Saint Petersburg 197101, Russia
Anton Egorov
Alferov University, Saint Petersburg 194021, Russia
Si-Cong Tian
Bimberg Chinese-German Center for Green Photonics, Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics and Physics (CIOMP), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Changchun 130033, China
Dieter Bimberg
Bimberg Chinese-German Center for Green Photonics, Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics and Physics (CIOMP), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Changchun 130033, China
Single-mode long-wavelength (LW) vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) present an inexpensive alternative to DFB-lasers for data communication in next-generation giga data centers, where optical links with large transmission distances are required. Narrow wavelength-division multiplexing systems demand large bit rates and single longitudinal and transverse modes. Spatial division multiplexing transmission through multicore fibers using LW VCSELs is enabling still larger-scale data center networks. This review discusses the requirements for achieving high-speed modulation, as well as the state-of-the-art. The hybrid short-cavity concept allows for the realization of f3dB frequencies of 17 GHz and 22 GHz for 1300 nm and 1550 nm range VCSELs, respectively. Wafer-fusion (WF) concepts allow the realization of long-time reliable LW VCSELs with a record single-mode output power of more than 6 mW, 13 GHz 3 dB cut-off frequency, and data rates of 37 Gbit/s for non-return-to-zero (NRZ) modulation at 1550 nm.
