News: Optoelectronics
21 October 2022
Ganvix and ITRI sign phase II deal extending JV to commercialize blue-green laser technology
Working with Taiwan’s Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI), early-stage startup company Ganvix Inc of Wilmington, DE, USA, which specializes in the development of gallium nitride (GaN) vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs), has completed the development of its first blue GaN lasers and signed a phase II agreement to extend their joint venture relationship (established in November 2021).
GaN VCSELs operating in the blue wavelength range have been demonstrated based on collaboration between the core technology of Ganvix’s design and ITRI manufacturability.
Founded by Yale University’s Dr Jung Han, Dr Rami Elafandy and Dr Jin-Ho Kim, Ganvix received funding from IP Group Inc, an intellectual property commercialization company that focuses on evolving ideas from its partner universities and national labs. Ganvix utilizes nanoporous technology to deliver compact, lightweight blue/green/ ultraviolet (UV) VCSELs that produce what is said to be superior wavelength control, smaller spot size, and array architectures, allowing substantial innovation across a wide range of applications.
VCSELs based on gallium arsenide (GaAs) that operate in the infrared spectrum currently comprise one of the fastest-growing technologies in electro-optics. However, GaAs cannot emit light in the ultraviolet or visible (blue and green) wavelengths. For these applications, GaN is required, but there has been no commercially viable solution to form the laser cavity mirrors required until now. Ganvix says that it has solved this problem by using nanoporous technology to engineer the optical properties of GaN. The underlying nanoporous technology was developed by professor Jung Han at Yale over a period of more than a decade, is protected by more than 30 patents, and has been exclusively licensed by Ganvix.
“We are excited to announce the successful demonstration of blue VCSEL lasers using our proprietary nanoporous GaN fabricated in collaboration with ITRI. This marks a critical achievement enabling commercialization of these new laser devices,” says CEO John Fijol. “We look forward to the next phase of our relationship working with ITRI to bring these devices to market,” he adds.
The next phase of development under the agreement will include the following:
- expanding the wavelength range from blue to green;
- qualification testing (of environmental and lifetime testing);
- packaging of discreet lasers and laser arrays.
ITRI will continue to apply its capability and infrastructure to manufacture the electro-optic devices to accelerate Ganvix’s time to market. The resulting products will address the nascent opportunity for high-performance, low-cost GaN VCSELs in billion-dollar global markets.
The target markets include consumer electronics, industrial, medical and life sciences, communications, and metaverse applications such as augmented reality (AR). Near-term applications include red, green and blue VCSEL light engines for laser scanning displays, lasers and laser arrays for free space and polymer fiber-based communications.
“For future Metaverse applications, the three-primary-color VCSELs will play a key role,” comments Dr Shih-Chieh Chang, general director of ITRI’s Electronic and Optoelectronic System Research Laboratories. “We are very happy to continue to deepen the cooperation with Ganvix and launch commercialized products, which can also drive Taiwanese industries to enter the Metaverse market.”
