Finisar Readies Texas Plant for VCSEL Production

Optoelectronic component maker Finisar will begin production of vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) at its new facility in Sherman, Texas, by the end of 2018.

The site, previously owned by silicon semiconductor firm MEMC and solar panel maker SunEdison, was acquired by Finisar late last year.

California-headquartered Finisar says that it intends to make Sherman the “VCSEL capital of the world” once production starts. It is targeting applications in 3D facial recognition, augmented reality (AR), automotive in-cabin sensing, and automotive lidar.

The new site will enable a massive increase in capacity and the production of devices on larger (6-in. diameter) wafers. The Sherman facility is currently certified as cleanroom operational, with the first production tooling already installed and qualified. The company has also hired nearly 200 employees, including the operations and support staff necessary to begin production.