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Photonics
A field that began with the invention of the LASER in the early 1960's,
promises a world in which light can be used to perform many of the everyday
functions that we generally achieve in sensing and communicating.
Compound semiconductor research has demonstrated that lasers,
modulators/switches, and photodetectors can be very small and highly efficient
devices that offer revolutionary capabilities previously unimaginable. These
photonics devices are the core of today's telecommunication systems.
Just as elemental silicon has fueled the revolution in microelectronics,
compound semiconductors (with their unique ability to act as efficient emitters
of light) have powered a revolution in photonics.
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Matrix-addressable 8x8 VCSEL array
Sandia National Laboratories, motivated by a vision for realizing the
"integrated microsystems" of the future (i.e., an entire multi-function system
on a semiconductor chip), has become an internationally recognized leader in
photonics technology.
Extensive materials growth and semiconductor fabrication facilities, as well
as innovative new concepts in photonics devices and systems, lie at the heart
of our Compound Semiconductor Research Laboratory (CSRL).
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