Hybrid Infrared Source: VCSEL and LED Combined

ROHM is making strides in the development of cutting-edge technology aimed at enhancing automotive safety. The company is currently working on commercializing an innovative infrared light source known as VCSELED™, designed to improve the accuracy and performance of Driver Monitoring Systems (DMS) and In-Cabin Monitoring Systems (IMS) in vehicles.

Driver monitoring systems have become increasingly crucial in vehicles equipped with Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) to detect driver drowsiness, sleepiness, and distracted driving. In Japan, guidelines set by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism (MLIT) define the specifications of these systems, while in the EU, there are plans to mandate their installation in all new vehicles sold in Europe starting from July 2024.

ROHM's VCSELED™ technology offers high-accuracy sensing capabilities, thanks to minimal wavelength temperature variation and a wide emission beam angle. This not only benefits in-vehicle monitoring systems but also enhances the precision and performance of inspection systems for robots, industrial equipment, spatial recognition, and ranging systems.

One of the key features of VCSELED™ is its ability to extend the infrared beam angle similar to LEDs, achieved by combining a high-performance VCSEL element with light diffusion material. This unique design enables sensing over a broader area with increased accuracy compared to traditional VCSELs, all while maintaining a compact form factor for versatile applications.

The VCSEL element utilized in VCSELED™ boasts a narrow emission infrared wavelength bandwidth of 4nm, significantly narrower than that of LEDs. This characteristic not only enhances resolution performance on the receiving end but also eliminates the red glow commonly associated with LEDs. Additionally, with a wavelength temperature variation of only 0.072 nm/°C, VCSELED™ ensures high-accuracy sensing even in fluctuating temperature conditions, outperforming conventional LEDs.