IEEE Study Reveals Energy-Efficient High-Speed Cryogenic-VCSEL Optical Interconnects

Researchers develop cryogenic VCSEL-based optical interconnects enabling high-speed data transmission with reduced thermal load and power consumption

PISCATAWAY, N.J., July 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Infrared focal plane arrays (FPAs) are image sensors that detect and convert infrared light into electrical signals to generate real-time thermal images. Advances in cryogenic FPAs have enabled higher resolution, larger formats, improved sensitivity, and faster imaging speeds, but they also require data rates exceeding 100 gigabits per second. Conventional electrical interconnects used to meet these demands increase the number of connections, leading to higher heat load through copper links, which can leak into FPAs, raise noise levels, and increase cooling requirements and power consumption.

In a study published in IEEE Photonics Technology Letters on March 27, 2026, researchers from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign explored cryogenic vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (cryo-VCSELs) for high-bandwidth optical interconnects in FPAs. "Optical interconnects, which use lasers to transmit data through optical fibers, can reduce heat transfer while maintaining high data rates," explains author Liu.

The experiments demonstrated strong high-frequency performance at both temperatures, achieving a 3-decibel modulation bandwidth exceeding 50 gigahertz (GHz) at low bias currents (<4 mA). The device supported 112 Gb/s per lane PAM-4 transmission with low signal distortion and extended operation up to 138 Gb/s per lane, with TDECQ values of 3.42 dB (77 K) and 4.15 dB (120 K), meeting IEEE standards for short-reach multimode communication.

The estimated energy consumption was approximately 68 fJ/bit at 77 K and 60 fJ/bit at 120 K, indicating energy-efficient operation at cryogenic temperatures.

"These results demonstrate that cryo-VCSEL optical links can be a promising and cost-effective solution to meet the high-speed data communication demands of FPAs," adds Liu.

The study demonstrates that cryo-VCSEL-based optical links offer a practical and cost-effective solution for high-speed communication in cryogenic FPAs and related systems.

Reference
Title of original paper: High-Speed VCSEL Optical Interconnects Operated 77–120 K for Focal Plane Arrays
Journal: IEEE Photonics Technology Letters
DOI: 10.1109/LPT.2026.3678474 

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SOURCE IEEE Photonics Society