# University of Illinois semiconductor laser development

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/university-of-illinois-semiconductor-laser-development
> Updated: 2026-09-05T04:53:29.000Z. Sources: 3. Developments: 2.

Researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have developed a new type of quasi-periodic photonic-crystal surface-emitting laser (QPCSEL). Led by professor Kent Choquette, the team utilized a buried dielectric platform to create a non-periodic structure by patterning a silicon dioxide layer and covering it with epitaxial semiconductor material.

This method aims to overcome the limitations of traditional PCSELs, which rely on repeating geometric patterns that are difficult to fabricate with diverse properties. The resulting device successfully produced laser light at room temperature. The findings, published in Applied Physics Letters, suggest this approach provides a more versatile and tunable route for developing high-performance, integrated lasers for aerospace and defense applications.

## Timeline

### 2026-09-05: Illinois researchers demonstrate new quasi-periodic semiconductor lasers

Researchers have demonstrated a new quasi-periodic photonic-crystal surface-emitting laser (QPCSEL) that offers greater tunability and versatility for defense and aerospace semiconductor applications.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/illinois-researchers-demonstrate-new-quasi-periodic-semiconductor-lasers

### 2026-08-16: University of Illinois researchers develop tunable QPCSEL semiconductor lasers

University of Illinois researchers have developed a quasi-periodic semiconductor laser (QPCSEL) that offers greater tunability and reliability than traditional repeating-pattern lasers.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/university-of-illinois-researchers-develop-tunable-qpcsel-semiconductor-lasers

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Cite as: University of Illinois semiconductor laser development. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/university-of-illinois-semiconductor-laser-development