The vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) is emerging as a key element for next-generation information processing systems and technologies. This laser has the ease of manufacture of the light-emitting diode and the versatility of the conventional edge-emitting laser for high-speed interconnect applications in communication networks. Its size, manufacturability, and potential ease of heterogeneous integration with electronics promise a range of applications that have yet to be explored. The paper outlines the history of the development of the surface-emitting laser and the role that fortuitous timing and the creation of an infrastructure have played in its successful development.
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