Ultrafast Laser Beam Switching and Pulse Train Generation by Using Coupled Vertical-Cavity, Surface-Emitting Lasers (VCSELS)

Abstract

Ultrafast directional beam switching is achieved using coupled VCSELs. This approach is demonstrated to achieve beam switching frequencies of 40 GHz and more and switching directions of about eight degrees. This switching scheme is likely to be useful for ultrafast optical networks at frequencies much higher than achievable with other approaches.