Some people seem to be concerned about the speed of the POET VCSEL.

Please note that what POET will provide is not just a VCSEL, but a VCSEL-based transceiver, i.e. a laser, a detector, plus some electronics. Call it VCSEL+. While present transceivers have to be assembled from several chips that are bonded together, POET will manufacture the whole solution monolithically on a single chip and in a single step. This is much cheaper and takes up much less space. The spatial factor is of special importance if you want to create arrays with a large number of transceivers in parallel.

Perhaps you can compare the manufacturing process loosely to offset printing. Imagine you need a printing solution that requires your printing shop to first print five different sheets, each in large volume, then them individually, and eventually glue everything together in a certain way. You can imagine that this will be quite expensive.

Now comes POET and prints an equivalent of your combined solution on a single sheet of paper in a single printing step. Will not cost more than a simple leaflet. Neat, eh?

Read more in the news release:

"The Company's patented module-on-a-chip process, which integrates digital, high-speed analog and optical devices on the same chip, is designed to be the next industry standard for smart optical components fabrication," said Ajit Manocha. "By adding electronics functionality to optics - lasers, detectors, IR sensors -- POET powers 'smart' opto-electronic devices that demonstrate step-function improvements in low power performance, cost and size. Specifically applied to short reach VCSEL based transceivers for example, POET could enable up to 10X improvements in power consumption, component cost, and form factor," added the Company's Chief Executive Officer Dr. Suresh Venkatesan.