Vcsel,

I'm really not a tech expert but I've red your post and suggested article about IMEC proposed sensing solutions.

I'll express my opinion base on my understanding and the white papers/articles/thesis I've red since Monday press release.

An abstract from the conclusion :

"The interrogation technique is based on an intelligent VCSEL-photodiode combination."

My answer would be that POET just released a newly device, i.e. the detecetor, that is so sensitive, that it will detect very-low powered signal for the 850nm wavelenght that no other avalaible PiN diode will.

Furthermore, it is able to convert the photons to electrons without requiring any amplification of the signal, thus eliminiting the need of another device knowns as a TiA.

As I understand it, the resonant cavity of the detector play a major role within the detector's structure. The best example that helped me understand the role of a resonant cavity was to place myself between two mirrors and turn my head. I saw so many reflexions of myself...

Botoom line, why is this so important? well it all comes down to 3 things, components counts as FJ stated, small-form factor and the overall power budget of the link.

Power budget of the link is mainly dictated by the receiver even though most of the energy is consumed by the emitter (the laser and modulator).

Why is that?

Well if the signal is too low-powered to be detected, than your link fails. So the sensitivity plus the efficient conversion of photon to electron of the detector form the basic of your power budget calculation.

Now, guess how POET's detector can help :)