indie’s Narrow-Linewidth Visible Lasers Drive Quantum and Automotive Innovation

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indie, an automotive solutions innovator, has released a new Visible Distributed Feedback (DFB) gallium nitride-based (GaN) laser diode from its Photonics BU product line, enabling next-generation quantum, a wide range of automotive applications, including LiDAR and sensing, and Industrial Raman applications with ultra-stable, sub-MHz linewidths at wavelengths from the near-UV (375 nm) to green (535 nm).

From laser sources to modulators and waveguides, photonics underpins emerging quantum technologies poised to reshape industries in the coming decade — from secure communications (such as cryptography) and advanced sensing and computing platforms that accelerate discovery and decision-making across multiple markets. In automotive, quantum-enhanced sensing and navigation, powered by innovations in laser sources, can enable unprecedented precision, safety, and efficiency on the road.

Powered by indie’s proprietary technology, the ELA35 Visible DFB laser source, provides new capability for trapping, manipulating and reading out quantum states with minimal disturbance. Engineered to be robust and scalable, the embedded-grating design can perform in a single longitudinal mode operation (sub-MHz linewidths) eliminating the need for an external cavity grating or Bragg reflector. Further, the high (40 dB) side-mode suppression provides low-noise operation, which is a key requirement for quantum applications. The approach also ensures high electro-optical efficiency and is wavelength agnostic (over 375 nm to 535 nm in range), which allows the semiconductor epitaxial or “epi” structure to be tailored according to specific atom or ion electronic transitions needed to create quantum states.

“We are already seeing excitement in the automotive industry and adjacent market spaces, as lasers and quantum technologies promise unprecedented accuracy in high-resolution sensing and detection,” said Philipp Vorreau, VP & General Manager SLEDs Photonics Division. “We’re actively engaged with several customers who are early adopters of quantum computing. This traction presents a strong opportunity to lead the quantum revolution in optical components and position indie for future growth.”

Unlike existing bulky external grating sources, indie’s DFB devices offer mode-hop free performance over wide current and temperature range with an on-wafer spectral distribution of less than ± 1 nm, enabling high volume production without the need for traditional color binning. The ELA35 DFB lasers provide single spatial mode (TEMoo) output and are available today in TO can and 14-pin butterfly packages with different fiber coupling options to enable photonic circuit integration for self-injection locking and future source miniaturization.