Optoelectronic component suppliers Lite-On Technology and semiconductor laser makers II‐VI Incorporated have announced partnership for the volume manufacturing and commercialisation of packaged semiconductor lasers for mass-market lidar. LEDinside magazine interviewed Lite-On Associate VP Sander Suto, who shared his perspective on lidar market prospects and strategies.
Su says the lidar market is witnessing a boom, because the fast, highly precise detection and accurate simultaneous localisation and mapping have unlocked the potential of autonomous systems, including self-driving vehicles, intelligent transportation system, automated guided vehicles, and autonomous mobile robots. The automotive sector brings the biggest chunk of potential lidar market applications in the near future, he says.
More, the rapid proliferation of lidar in automotive, commercial and industrial applications is driving the demand for low-cost semiconductor laser devices that can be manufactured in very high volumes.
II-VI and Lite-On will leverage their respective high-volume manufacturing platforms for semiconductor lasers and optoelectronic packaging to jointly commercialise a broad portfolio of laser solutions spanning from near-infrared to shortwave infrared, with the first product to launch in mid 2020.
