Forty years of vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser: Invention and innovation

Forty years has passed since I conceived the idea of a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) in 1977. This review is focused on its research and development by featuring host technologies that contributed to the realization of usable devices. After numerous innovations, the VCSEL is now generating new applications such as high-speed local area networks, computer mice, parallel optical interconnects, laser printers, face recognition systems, and various optical sensors.