[News] China-Based CS Microelectronics Develops 90W Addressable VCSEL Chip
CS Microelectronics, a subsidiary of Vital Technology Group , recently announced the successful development of a high-power 2D addressable VCSEL (Vertical-Cavity Surface-Emitting Laser) chip.
Designed for high-end LiDAR and industrial sensing applications, the newly developed product departs from traditional VCSEL designs that only emit light as a single unit. Instead, the chip divides the light-emitting surface into multiple independent addressable zones. Each zone can be individually turned on, turned off, and power-regulated, achieving a peak output exceeding 90W per segment.
To achieve this level of performance, the design is required to simultaneously resolve three major technical bottlenecks: power amplification, cross-zone interference, and thermal management.
CS Microelectronics addressed these by incorporating a multi-junction active region structure to boost the optical output density of each zone. Furthermore, the company optimized chip layout and fabrication processes to minimize electrical, optical, and thermal crosstalk between adjacent partitions.
Combined with co-design optimizations across materials, electrodes, and substrates, operational temperatures were significantly reduced. Utilizing its automated chip fabrication line, CS Microelectronics in-house completed the entire workflow—from material growth and wafer fabrication to testing and validation—successfully integrating high-power 90W output with high-precision addressability to deliver a more flexible light-source solution for automotive LiDAR and advanced sensing systems.
Building on these achievements, CS Microelectronics validated the full solution by leveraging Pioneer Technology Group’s vertically integrated platform and its fully automated 6-inch GaAs/InP epitaxial chip production lines.
CS Microelectronics currently focuses on compound semiconductor optoelectronic chips, primarily targeting automotive LiDAR, industrial sensing, and high-end manufacturing.
In the optical communications segment, CS Microelectronics’ product roadmap covers MPDs, APDs, high-speed PDs, EMLs, and CW lasers. Among these, EML products have completed small-batch deployments with tier-one clients and are entering the application phase for 400G/800G high-speed optical transceivers.
Its parent company, Pioneer Technology Group, has also introduced a portfolio of optical modules ranging from 400G to 1.6T through a joint-venture platform—encompassing silicon photonics, EML, VCSEL arrays, and active optical cables (AOC). Its 800G modules have reached mass production, while 1.6T products are undergoing sample verification.
CS Microelectronics has significantly accelerated its market progress in optical chips this year. Prior to this milestone, the company won a procurement bid in May for a research institute’s laser project, which included 905nm/940nm multi-junction VCSELs and 976nm series products, with core performance metrics directly benchmarking against leading overseas chipmakers.
(Photo credit: CS Microelectronics)
