Beam-grid breakthrough: chip-scale optical wireless hits 362 Gbps in lab tests
Researchers demonstrated a chip-scale optical wireless transmitter built from a 5×5 VCSEL laser array that achieved 362.7 Gbps over a two-meter free-space link by running 21 lasers in parallel. A microlens and beam-shaping optics create a structured grid to prevent interference, enabling multiple simultaneous links in a room while consuming about 1.4 nanojoules per bit—roughly half the energy per bit of state-of-the-art Wi‑Fi. The work shows optical wireless can complement existing networks and relieve crowded radio bands in indoor spaces.