A single transverse-mode monolithically integrated long vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser

Wiemer, Michael; Aldaz, Rafael I.; Miller, David A. B.; Harris, James S.

doi:10.1109/lpt.2005.848277

Cited by 8 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 9 publications

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“…a 50 GHz pulse repetition rate corresponds to a cavity length of 3 mm). This could be replaced with another transparent wafer with the semiconductor wafer glued to one side and an integrated curved output coupler on the other side [28]. We used an output coupler with a radius of curvature of 60 mm.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Vertical integration of ultrafast semiconductor lasers

et al. 2007

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Lasers generating short pulses -referred to as ultrafast lasers -enable many applications in science and technology. Numerous laboratory experiments have confirmed that ultrafast lasers can significantly increase telecommunication data rates [1], improve computer interconnects, and optically clock microprocessors [2,3]. New applications in metrology [4], supercontinuum generation [5], and life sciences with two-photon microscopy [6] only work with ultrashort pulses but have relied on bulky and complex ultrafast solid-state lasers. Semiconductor lasers are ideally suited for mass production and widespread applications, because they are based on a waferscale technology with a high level of integration. Not surprisingly, the first lasers entering virtually every household were semiconductor lasers in compact disk players. Here we introduce a new concept and make the first feasibility demonstration of a new class of ultrafast semiconductor lasers which are power scalable, support both optical and electrical pumping and allow for wafer-scale fabrication. The laser beam propagates vertically (perpendicularly) through the epitaxial layer structure which has both gain and absorber layers integrated. In contrast to edge-emitters, these lasers have semiconductor layers that can be optimized separately by using different growth parameters and with no regrowth. This is especially important to integrate the gain and absorber layers, which require different quantum confinement. A saturable absorber is required for pulse generation and we optimized its parameters with a single selfassembled InAs quantum dot layer at low growth temperatures. We refer to this class of devices as modelocked integrated external-cavity surface emitting lasers (MIXSEL). Vertical integration supports a diffraction-limited circular output beam, transformlimited pulses, lower timing jitter, and synchronization to an external electronic clock. The pulse repetition rate scales from 1-GHz to 100-GHz by simply changing the laser cavity length. This result holds promise for semiconductor-based high-volume wafer-scale fabrication of compact, ultrafast lasers.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Vertical integration of ultrafast semiconductor lasers

et al. 2007

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“…Much longer cavities may be reached in vertical extended−cavity surface−emitting lasers with monolithic integration of dielectric DBR micromirrors [48][49][50], how− ever, those devices are beyond the scope of the present paper.…”

Section: Diffraction Lossesmentioning

confidence: 99%

VCSEL structures used to suppress higher-order transverse modes

Nakwaski

2011

Opto-Electronics Review

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Currently unwanted excitation of higher-order transverse modes is the most serious drawback of vertical-cavity surface-emitting diode lasers (VCSELs) limiting their possible applications. In the present paper, various methods used to suppress those modes are described and their effectiveness is compared. It is well known that, because of a nearly uniform current injection into their active regions, small-aperture VCSELs without any modification offer quite high single-fundamental-mode (SFM) output. However, their series resistance is often too high, which aggravates their high-modulation performance. Similarly uniform current injection may be also achieved with the aid of a tunnelling junction. Generally, methods suppressing higher-order modes take advantage of higher optical gain within the central part of the active region, higher radiation losses outside this region and/or higher central mirror reflectivity. Currently, applications of a tunnel junction, an impurity-induced disordering or an inverted shallow surface relief seem to be the simplest and the most effective methods. The deep etched holey structure or the ARROW structure enable obtaining similar single-mode output powers but they may be used in special cases only because of their complex technology. Photonic crystals may probably enable more advanced mechanisms of suppressing higher-order modes in future because currently their application seems to be still far from being optimised.

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VECSEL Semiconductor Lasers: A Path to High‐Power, Quality Beam and UV to IR Wavelength by Design

Kuznetsov¹

2010

Semiconductor Disk Lasers

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Since its invention and demonstration in 1960, several types of laser have been developed, such as solid-state, semiconductor, gas, excimer, and dye lasers [1]. Today, lasers are used in a wide range of important applications, particularly in optical fiber communication, optical digital recording (CD, DVD, and Blu-ray), laser materials processing, biology and medicine, spectroscopy, imaging, entertainment, and many others. A number of properties enable the application of lasers in these diverse areas, each application requiring a particular combination of these properties. Some of the most important laser properties are laser emission wavelength; output optical power; method of laser excitation, whether by optical pumping or electrical current injection; laser power consumption and efficiency; high-speed modulation or short pulse generation ability; wavelength tunability; output beam quality; device size; and so on. Thus, optical fiber communication [2], a major application that enables modern Internet, commonly requires lasers with emission wavelengths in the 1.55 mm lowloss band of glass fibers and with single-transverse mode output beams for coupling into single-mode optical fibers. Typically, a given laser type excels in some of these properties, while exhibiting shortcomings in others. For example, by using different material compositions and structures, the most widely used semiconductor diode laser [3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12] can cover a wide range of wavelengths from the ultraviolet (UV) to the mid-IR, can be advantageously driven by diode current injection, and is very compact and efficient. However, the good beam quality, that is, single-transverse mode nearcircular beam operation, can be typically achieved in semiconductor lasers only for output powers below 1 W. Much higher power levels are achievable from semiconductor lasers only with large aspect ratio highly multimoded poor quality optical beams. On the other hand, the solid-state lasers [13,14], including fiber lasers [15], can emit hundreds of watts of output power with excellent beam quality, however, their emission wavelengths are restricted to discrete values of electronic transitions in ions, such as the classic 1064 nm wavelength of the Nd:YAG laser, making them Semiconductor Disk Lasers. Physics and Technology. Edited by Oleg G. Okhotnikov

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A single transverse-mode monolithically integrated long vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser

Cited by 8 publications

References 9 publications

Vertical integration of ultrafast semiconductor lasers

Vertical integration of ultrafast semiconductor lasers

VCSEL structures used to suppress higher-order transverse modes

VECSEL Semiconductor Lasers: A Path to High‐Power, Quality Beam and UV to IR Wavelength by Design

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