Consumer electronics is a key industry for 3D sensing applications. And VCSEL technology is the main cutting-edge technology that supports advanced illumination sources for optical sensing. Camera autofocus and systems 3D sensors in smartphones and tablets benefit from VCSEL laser arrays. They are ideally suited for highly integrated 3D sensors and demanding applications requiring compact dimensions and high performance.
VCSEL chips are technically optimal for time-of-flight (ToF) distance, structured light and self-mixing interference (SMI) sensors due to their power consumption class and radiation characteristics.
It was in 2015 that the smartphone industry first used a VCSEL for proximity sensing. TRUMPF was the proud supplier of that VCSEL, creating an industry milestone and innovation in the mobile 3D sensor technology market. Besides smartphones and tablets, today VCSELs are the ideal solution for many eye-safe optical 3D sensing applications, such as wearables, AR/VR glasses and other mobile devices in the consumer market.