Lasers & Sources

QD Laser wins IEEE Photonics Society award for commercializing quantum dot lasers

July 7, 2014

IEEE Photonics Society has awarded the 2014 Aron Kressel Award to QD Laser for pioneering contributions to the development of temperature-insensitive quantum dot (QD) lasers, and their commercialization and mass-production for optical communication systems.

Conard Holton

IEEE Photonics Society has awarded the 2014 Aron Kressel Award to QD Laser (Kanagawa, Japan) for pioneering contributions to the development of temperature-insensitive quantum dot (QD) lasers, and their commercialization and mass-production for optical communication systems. The annual award recognizes key contributors to the field for developing critical components that lead to the development of systems enabling major new services or capabilities.

A semiconductor laser using quantum dots in the active layer was first proposed by professors Arakawa and Sakaki of the University of Tokyo in 1982. This laser has unique features such as low threshold current, small temperature sensitivity, and high temperature operation. Based on an R&D collaboration between Fujitsu Laboratories and the University of Tokyo, QD Laser was founded with capital from Fujitsu and Mitsui Ventures. The company successfully developed high density and high uniformity quantum dot technologies, and commercialized quantum dot lasers as light sources for optical fiber communications.

Other technology from QD Laser: New smart glasses from QD Laser rely on laser retinal imaging

Source: QD Laser

About the Author

Conard Holton | Editor at Large

Conard Holton has 25 years of science and technology editing and writing experience. He was formerly a staff member and consultant for government agencies such as the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority and the International Atomic Energy Agency, and engineering companies such as Bechtel. He joined Laser Focus World in 1997 as senior editor, becoming editor in chief of WDM Solutions, which he founded in 1999. In 2003 he joined Vision Systems Design as editor in chief, while continuing as contributing editor at Laser Focus World. Conard became editor in chief of Laser Focus World in August 2011, a role in which he served through August 2018. He then served as Editor at Large for Laser Focus World and Co-Chair of the Lasers & Photonics Marketplace Seminar from August 2018 through January 2022. He received his B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania, with additional studies at the Colorado School of Mines and Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.