TRUMPF Photonic Components, a global leader in VCSEL (Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Lasers) and photodiode solutions for the consumer electronics, data communications, industrial sensing, heating, and automotive markets recently shipped its two billionth product of VCSEL and photodiodes. This cumulative milestone is enabled through a significant growth in demand for VCSEL technology, driven by trends such as proximity sensing and 3D facial recognition technology in consumer smartphones as well as raising demand in optical data communication in data centers.
Within the last two years, since TRUMPF acquired the business field, the company invested more than 20 million Euro into the headquarter location in Ulm, Germany. The production capacity has been expanded to support further business growth, both in existing markets as well as in new segments like quantum computing. TRUMPF continues to drive the technology know-how that has been established for over 20 years to maintain its leadership position and to implement a Photonic Hub in Ulm.
“Reaching the milestone of two billion products confirms our strategy to build on strong partnerships with our customers. Next to standardized solutions, we are also developing customized solutions to address the application needs in its best way”, says Berthold Schmidt, CEO at TRUMPF Photonic Components. “Therefore, we are continuously investing into high-tech equipment and human resources to meet the rapidly growing global demand and to guarantee best-in class infrastructure, as German leader in supplying VCSELs and photodiodes”, he adds. Recently the company announced that in future also quantum computer chips of Q.ANT, a wholly owned subsidiary of the TRUMPF Group, will be fabricated in Ulm. To manufacture these quantum computer chips, further expansion of the existing cleanroom fabrication facilities in Ulm is planned.
Growing application areas
Consumer electronics are one main successful business field for TRUMPF Photonic Components. The VCSEL products are a fundamental component of sensors that feature prominently in modern smartphones. It enables for example the functionality of face recognition, to switch off the display automatically, or to improve the camera autofocus.
On the other hand, optical data communication becomes more and more relevant as the amount of data to be handled is increasing. That’s why TRUMPF is recently in the development of 100G solutions.
Next to that, TRUMPF offers industrial heating systems, where VCSEL are for example used in e-mobility within the battery process chain, another growing business field. Latest future application field is quantum computing. With VCSEL becoming part of the quantum technology there is a huge potential for the laser diodes technology. These chips will be capable of creating, controlling and manipulating quanta.
“I am convinced that VCSEL technology drives the future not only of consumer electronics, industrial sensing or optical data communication, but also for autonomous driving, and quantum technology. So VCSEL laser diodes will be in every home, every mobile device, every car and within industrial production”, says Berthold Schmidt.
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