Just to sort of clarify my last post it was related completely towards non-communication applications. Clearly once the VCSEL is ready the primary focus will initially be towards communication applications as per the (public) POET road map. It is interesting that one of the attributes associated with the resonant cavity enhanced detector is that it provides very tight spectral response which is ideally suited for multiplexing in an array. The resonant cavity of the VCSEL is matched by the detector and quantum efficiency is very high in a much smaller footprint. As stated many times in the past it is the same structure and the principals of operation are very similar.
I have given a lot of thought to Baba’s question/comment yesterday:
I remain convinced POET is working diligently toward the optimization of the VCSEL, and I remain convinced that the task is a lot harder than anyone, certainly including current management, thought.
I completely agree that they are working diligently towards the optimization of the VCSEL but I don’t agree that management underestimated the degree of difficulty. There have been statements made about how the detector exceeded their expectations and maybe based on that the expectations for the VCSEL were elevated but I don’t think so. These are not only men of science but of practice. They have been involved in research and early stage development all their working lives and I just don’t think they are wired to have unrealistic expectations in terms of technical development.
They expected results sooner based on the understanding that the cycles of development would be unrestricted. But there was a very long interruption to that process.
This is a new epitaxy and a new tool set. I think we will hear something as soon as they have the alpha prototype. And we can only guess at that time frame in terms of the transceiver.
