Short Course: VCSEL-Based Solutions: Components, Circuits, and Integration

This lecture explores VCSEL-based solutions for short-reach optical interconnects, essential for intra-datacenter connectivity and increasingly critical in AI architectures. After reviewing key optical components, we examine high-speed driver circuits and integration strategies for compact, scalable transmitters. The talk progresses from fundamentals to state-of-the-art advancements, concluding with opportunities and challenges amid relentless bandwidth growth and evolving datacenter demands.