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Shining a light on PSCELs: the disruptive technology set to transform photonics

Date: 09.06.2025

Close-up of a white car's energy efficient adaptive laser headlight with blue accents and angular, modern design. - CSA Catapult
Close-up of a circular microchip with gold connectors, highlighting WiPDA Power Electronics in a symmetrical pattern. - CSA Catapult

In November, leading figures from academia and industry will descend on Glasgow to discuss the latest developments in PCSEL technologies at the International Workshop on PSCELs 2025.

 

In this article, conference chair Professor Richard Hogg, from Aston University and Joe Gannicliffe, Head of photonics and RF at CSA Catapult, reflect on discussions from last year’s workshop and look ahead to the themes and ideas set to be discussed this year.

Front view of a futuristic LiDAR truck with digital sensor overlays, on a mountain road. - CSA Catapult

A wide range of photonics applications

Photonic crystal surface emitting lasers (PCSELs) may sound complex, but at their core, they are a new kind of laser diode that promises higher performance and lower manufacturing costs than existing technologies.

A PCSEL is a semiconductor-based laser that emits light from its surface, using a photonic crystal that is a microscopic diffraction system to control the direction and quality of the laser beam, like a steerable smart headlight on a car.

A PCSEL produces very pure, collimated light that’s ideal for a range of applications from industrial cutting tools to advanced sensors and even autonomous vehicle systems.

What sets PCSELs apart is their ability to combine the best features of traditional laser technologies. They offer the high brightness typically associated with edge-emitting lasers, alongside the beam quality, scalability, and vertical emission of VCSELs (vertical-cavity surface emitting lasers), making them ideal for mass production.

According to Professor Richard Hogg of Aston University, who is a leading academic in the field, the momentum behind PCSEL research is accelerating rapidly: “It is exploding. Up to a few years ago there were only a handful of major groups worldwide. Now there are many more active research groups, as evidenced by the large number of invited talks and attendees we had.”

This rapid expansion underscores the growing recognition of PCSELs’ potential to disrupt and enhance a wide range of photonics applications.

“Laser diodes are a cornerstone and key enabling technology in photonics and PCSELs provide the properties and promise to be very disruptive,”

“Industry is engaged to understand what efficiency limitations PCSELs have, along with whether they have any PCSEL-specific reliability issues.”

Joe Gannicliffe, head of photonics and RF

Close-up of a car roof with a LiDAR sensor and camera integrated into the light bar. - CSA Catapult

UK out in front on PCSELs

At the first PSCEL conference, 50% of attendees came from industry, which was a clear signal of the commercial sector’s curiosity and intent.

One of PCSELs’ greatest strengths is spatial and temporal coherence, enabling the creation of collimated, spectrally pure laser beams.

As Professor Hogg explains: “The PCSEL is demonstrated to be the brightest and narrowest linewidth laser diode, so is of course of significant interest to all laser diode manufacturers.”

This makes PCSELs particularly well-suited for industrial materials processing, sensing, imaging, data transmission, and even LiDAR.

“Right now, power delivery in industrial applications for materials processing stands out,” Professor Hogg continued.

“At 1550nm, the PCSEL may make a great source for eye-safe LiDAR, but it seems that the automotive industry has not decided on a particular LiDAR technology yet.”

From a manufacturing perspective, PCSELs offer clear advantages. Their vertical emission allows for on-wafer testing and potentially lower packaging costs.

However, challenges remain. As Gannicliffe points out: “Reliability is a key issue. The PCSEL usually utilises a void close to the junction of the diode. This is very new, and there is limited information about the effect this has on power conversion efficiency, and reliability.”

Another concern is repeatability in manufacturing. “The manufacturing scale-up is of course critical,” says Professor Hogg, “but the PCSEL has some advantages here in wavelength targeting over DFBs, for example.”

The UK is particularly well placed to lead in this emerging field, with several companies and university research centres actively pursuing the technology, including Aston University, The University of Glasgow, and Vector Photonics.

So, what’s next? For Professor Hogg, it starts with investment at a national level.

“For the UK, we need to capitalise on our current lead. Internationally, I think we need that killer application that establishes the PCSEL in its rightful position as the laser diode class of choice. This will trigger widespread industrial and academic invention.”

With continued research, investment, and collaboration, PCSELs could very well become a foundational technology in tomorrow’s photonics-driven world.

Click to register your interest or for more information about the International Workshop on PSCELs 2025.

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