VCSEL for Sensing Applications Market Research

Vertical-Cavity Surface-Emitting Lasers (VCSELs) have a circularly symmetrical laser beam emitted perpendicular to the surface of the semiconductor substrate. The VCSEL cavity length is similar in magnitude to the wavelength, which makes it easy to achieve single longitudinal mode excitation and offers excellent beam quality for data communication and various VCSEL market sensing applications.

Sensing applications reshape the VCSEL market

The VCSEL market first entered consumer electronics in 2004 with the Logitech MX1000 laser wireless mouse, which became the light source for laser navigation (positioning) sensors. In 2016, the VCSEL market entered the Apple iPhone 7 series with ToF proximity/ranging sensors, enabling face proximity sensing, autofocus and other functions. At the same time, the VCSEL market also entered Apple's AirPods headphones with proximity/ranging sensors, enabling wear monitoring functions. Thus, the application of various Apple products has pushed the VCSEL market to a new level.

In 2017, VCSEL arrays were first introduced into Apple's iPhone X as a light source for 3D face recognition. This also brought fire to the entire VCSEL market, which expanded rapidly and saw a proliferation of startups in the VCSEL market. 2018~2019, the Android (Android) camp followed Apple in also launching a variety of phones with integrated 3D sensing technology, but did not make 3D face recognition a necessity, and was squeezed out of market share by under-screen fingerprint recognition in 2020. In 2020, addressable VCSEL arrays make their debut in Apple's new iPad Pro tablet and iPhone 12 Pro series smartphones as a light source for consumer LIDAR. This has also prompted the Android camp to lay out direct time-of-flight (dToF) technology and actively prepare for augmented reality (AR) applications.

Wide range of VCSEL market sensing applications

The global VCSEL market will reach $1.15 billion in 2020 due to various sensing application-driven developments, which can be described as "sensing applications reshaping the VCSEL market" - occupying the largest VCSEL market share: 75%; communication applications occupying The second largest VCSEL market share: 24%. Other applications include industrial heat treatment in manufacturing, laser printing, and atomic clocks in timekeeping. The main suppliers in the VCSEL market for sensing applications are Lumentum, II-VI, ams & Osram, ZongHui Core Optics, TRUMPF, Hualitec and others.

VCSEL market size for sensing applications

Multi-junction, addressable becomes the direction of development in the VCSEL market

The new iPad Pro and iPhone 12 Pro series phones released by Apple in 2020 are equipped with LIDAR based on dToF technology, where the integrated addressable VCSEL market array is provided by Lumentum, which has a common cathode design with four zones of anodes, and the drive signal can control one of the four zones of the anode respectively The VCSEL market arrays have a common cathode design with four zones of anodes and the drive signal can control one of the four zones of the anode to achieve zonal lighting. The addressable VCSEL market arrays offer the following advantages: (1) effective control of the light output area to increase peak power; (2) system level immunity through suitable system design; (3) better luminous efficiency to save system power; and (4) better thermal performance.

Application of multi-junction addressable VCSEL market technology

With the growing demand for automotive LiDAR in the VCSEL market, multi-junction VCSEL market arrays have become a key layout product for leading global manufacturers. Compared to single junction VCSEL market technology, multi-junction VCSEL market technology can: (1) improve PCE (electro-optical conversion efficiency) and reduce power consumption; (2) provide higher power density and be more friendly to optical system design; (3) improve slope efficiency and be more friendly to laser drivers; (4) provide higher peak power and extend the range of ranging operation; (5) reduce the laser's "Cost per Watt" (CPW). Global VCSEL market key players have been releasing dual and triple junction VCSEL products, while VCSEL market leader Lumentum is debuting five and six junction VCSEL arrays in March 2021 with optical power in excess of 2W per emitter aperture, resulting in a peak power of over 800W for a 1 mm2 VCSEL array. In summary, multi-junction, addressable VCSEL market arrays are a key underlying technology for achieving high performance all-solid-state medium- and long-range LiDAR.

VCSEL market trends for sensing applications

Looking ahead, the VCSEL market size will continue to grow at a high rate under the demand for intelligence in two major end products, mobile phones and automobiles. We expect to see an acceleration in rear 3D cameras for Android smartphones, as well as in-vehicle LiDAR and in-vehicle personnel monitoring (e.g. driver monitoring systems). According to McMasters Consulting, the global VCSEL market for sensing applications is forecast to grow from US$862 million in 2020 to US$1,728 million by 2024, at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 19% during this period.

In addition to researching VCSEL market dynamics, we also searched and analysed Chinese invention patents related to the VCSEL market and its array design and manufacturing, to gain insight into the technology trends in the Chinese VCSEL market, and to uncover the dominant companies, research institutes and technology experts in the Chinese VCSEL market.

China's VCSEL market is booming

As the main supplier of VCSELs to Apple, Lumentum and II-VI occupy a major share of the VCSEL market. However, in recent years, the Chinese VCSEL market has seen a proliferation of suppliers - a number of international companies with returnee experts and local talent have started a boom in entrepreneurship to create independent and controllable "Chinese cores" in the VCSEL market. This booming VCSEL market trend has attracted many capitalists to invest in various segments of the VCSEL market, involving chip design and manufacturing companies, epitaxial and wafer fabrication foundries, equipment and material suppliers, sensing module/system vendors, etc.

VCSEL market chain for sensing applications

In terms of VCSEL market chips for sensing applications, China's VCSEL market players are mainly entrepreneurial and are concentrated in the Yangtze River Delta and Pearl River Delta regions. The Yangtze River Delta region includes Zong Hui Xinguang, Rui Xi Technology, Chang Guang Hua Xin, Huaxin Semiconductor, Du Huan Laser and Eagle Semiconductor; the Pearl River Delta region includes Bosheng Optoelectronics, Lemon Photonics, Rui Zhi Technology and Xin Liang Intelligence; in addition, there is also Qianmu Laser based in Wuhan and Qian Zhao Optoelectronics, a listed company based in Xiamen. Among the above-mentioned manufacturers, Zong Hui Xin Guang has the largest VCSEL shipments and has successfully entered Huawei's smartphones and rapidly laid out a large number of patents in the VCSEL market in China, thus gaining the favor of investors such as Huawei's Hubble Capital and Xiaomi Changjiang Fund.

Representative players in the VCSEL market for sensing applications

Due to the strong demand and dynamic development of the III-V compound semiconductor market represented by VCSELs and RF devices, more and more Chinese GaAs epitaxial and wafer fabrication plants have emerged, including both pure epitaxial and wafer foundries (e.g. Tangjing Quantum, Zhongke Xindian, Sanan IC, Quanlei Optoelectronics, Haiwei Huaxin) and IDMs with in-house epitaxial and wafer fabrication plants (e.g. Changguang Huaxin, Huaxin). (e.g. Changguang Huaxin, Huaxin Semiconductor). We expect the industry chain of China's VCSEL market to mature, laying a solid foundation for the vast VCSEL market for sensing applications.

VCSEL market report outline

1. Light sources and VCSEL market concepts

It covers the concept of light sources, as well as the concepts, principles and differences of typical light sources (e.g. LED, VCSEL, EEL), with a focus on knowledge about the VCSEL market, and concludes with an analysis of ideas for selecting light source wavelengths for smartphone 3D cameras and automotive LIDAR.

2. Core technologies for the VCSEL market

It covers the core technology process of VCSEL market: design, epitaxy, manufacturing, packaging, application, introduces the key aspects that affect VCSEL wavelength, performance, yield and reliability, explains various VCSEL designs and VCSEL market trends, compares VCSEL emitter modules: iToF vs. dToF, and finally shows the VCSEL market module package damage detection and VCSEL market test methods.

3. VCSEL Market Overview

It covers VCSEL sensing applications and market progress, introduces various 3D sensing systems (e.g. structured light, ToF, binocular stereo vision) using VCSEL market, especially typical applications in consumer electronics and automotive electronics, and finally shows the VCSEL market size and major suppliers for sensing applications.

4. VCSEL Market Industry Chain of Epitaxy and Manufacturing Manufacturers

Starting from the smartphone ToF industry chain and the automotive LiDAR industry chain, we analyse the VCSEL market industry chain for sensing applications, focusing on emerging epitaxial and wafer fabrication houses, both pure epitaxial and wafer foundries, and IDMs with in-house epitaxial and wafer fabrication houses.

5. Chip Manufacturers and Products in the VCSEL Market Industry Chain

The content includes chip manufacturers in the VCSEL market for sensing applications, both well-known international players (e.g. Lumentum, II-VI, ams & Osram, TRUMPF) and start-ups in the Chinese VCSEL market (e.g. Zong Hui Xin Guang, Rui Xi Technology, Bosheng Optoelectronics, Lemon Photonics, Qianmu Laser, Changguang Huaxin, Huaxin Semiconductor, Rui Zhi Technology, Xin Liang Intelligence). New Bright Intelligence).

6. VCSEL market standards/specifications

Starting with the General Specification for Semiconductor Lasers, we introduce the standards/specifications for the VCSEL market in terms of laser safety, vehicle regulations, environmental protection, testing, etc., such as Safety of Laser Products Part 1: Equipment Classification, Requirements, AEC-Q102, Test Methods for Semiconductor Lasers, etc.

7. China Patent Analysis for the VCSEL Market

Through the search and analysis of Chinese invention patents related to design and manufacturing technologies in the VCSEL market, the trend of technology development in the VCSEL market is inspected, and the dominant companies, research institutes and technology experts in the Chinese VCSEL market are identified based on patent analysis.

8. Typical VCSEL sensing applications

The content includes VCSEL applications in smartphones and tablets (e.g. iPhone X, iPad Pro 2020, OPPO RX17 Pro, vivo NEX Dual Screen Edition, Huawei P30 Pro, LG G8 ThinQ, Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G) and VCSEL in in-car sensing and automotive LIDAR applications.

Get this report at pmarketresearch.com

搜索此博客

Pmarketresearch.com