Goals of the Nemis-Project

The objectives of the NEMIS project are the development and realisation of compact and packaged vertical-cavity surface-emitting semiconductor laser diodes (VCSEL) for the 2-3.5 µm wavelength range and the demonstration of a pilot photonic sensing system for trace gas analysis using these new sources. The availability of electrically pumped VCSELs with their low-cost potential, low power consumption, small beam divergency and compactness in this wavelength range that operate continuously at or at least near room-temperature and emit in a single transverse and longitudinal mode (i. e. single-frequency lasers) is considered a basic breakthrough for laser-based optical sensing applications. These devices shall also be mode-hop-free tuneable over a couple of nanometers via the laser current or the heatsink temperature. They are therefore ideal and unmatched sources for the spectroscopic and trace analysis of gases and the detection of many important and/or toxic gases. It is the purpose of the project to develop the underlying semiconductor technology based on Gallium Antimonide, the VCSELs as well as pilot applications in sensing systems to demonstrate the potential and performance of these novel lasers. With reference to the milestones and deliverables described in subsequent sections, the success of the NEMIS project can - in an overview - be measured along the following expected achievements in temporal order:

1. Realisation of application-suited VCSEL, i. e. electrically pumped room-temperature operating, for wavelengths of 2.3 µm (+/- 100 nm).

2. Delivery of 10 packaged 2.3 µm (+/- 100 nm) VCSELs to the sensor systems development.

3. Realisation of VCSEL structures at 2.7 µm (+/- 100 nm) wavelength.

4. Realisation of VCSEL structure at 3.3 µm (+/- 100 nm) wavelength.

5. Demonstrator of a pilot application (ammonia sensor).

6. Technology platform and device concepts for antimonide-based VCSELs in the entire 2.0-3.5 µm wavelength-range developed and sample devices suited for sensing applications delivered.