Picosecond regional delay mapping of arrayed VCSELs with a honeycomb alignment

Time-of-flight (ToF) sensing technology demands precise optical pulse control for high-resolution three-dimensional imaging applications. Herein, vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) arrays with different power ratings (1 W, 2 W, and 2.5 W) were optimized to achieve enhanced temporal precision for ToF applications. The analysis of the regional lasing behavior and gain-switched pulsation of the arrays revealed that the 1 W array achieves superior performance with a minimal root-mean-square jitter of 7 ps and a pulse width of 270 ps. Moreover, the critical trade-offs among array size, power output, and temporal precision increase the transmission delays proportionally with array size (34 ps, 95 ps, and 109 ps for 1 W, 2 W, and 2.5 W arrays, respectively). These temporal characteristics translate to spatial resolutions from 0.615 to 6.14 cm depending on the array configuration. Our findings demonstrate that while larger arrays offer higher power output, they fundamentally compromise temporal precision due to increased transmission delays and turn-on variations. This work provides crucial insights for optimizing VCSEL array design in high-resolution sensing systems, with implications for advancing facial recognition, augmented reality, and autonomous vehicle technologies.