Cavity Characteristics of Selectively Oxidized Vertical-Cavity Lasers

Vertical-cavity surface emitting lasers (VCSELs) are of interest from both scientific and technological points of view. For example, distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) mirrors used to produce microcavities with a single longitudinal mode have been employed to study novel optical phenomena and are critical to VCSEL performance. Optical and electrical confinement in the transverse direction has been commonly achieved using etched post index-guided structures, or ion implanted "gain-guided" devices. We report the optical and electrical properties of VCSEL diodes fabricated using a buried oxide layer with a current aperture within an all semiconductor DBR mirror. We show this oxide layer has profound implications, leading to new transverse optical effects in the cavity as well as significant advances in VCSEL performance.