Control of vertical-cavity laser polarization with anisotropic transverse cavity geometries

Author

Choquette, Kent D. ; Leibenguth, R.E.

Author_Institution

Sandia Nat. Labs., Albuquerque, NM, USA

Volume

6

Issue

1

fYear

1994

Firstpage

40

Lastpage

42

Abstract

We show the two-fold polarization degeneracy of etched air-post vertical-cavity surface emitting laser diodes can be lifted and a dominant polarization state selected through use of anisotropic transverse laser cavity geometries. For lasers with rhombus-shaped cavities, fundamental mode lasing emission linearly polarized along one specified crystal axis is obtained up to twice the threshold current. For dumbbell-shaped lasers, fundamental mode lasing emission linearly polarized along one specified crystal axis is maintained over the entire operating range of the device producing a maximum orthogonal polarization suppression ratio of 14 dB.<>

Keywords

distributed Bragg reflector lasers; laser cavity resonators; laser modes; light polarisation; semiconductor lasers; VCSEL; anisotropic transverse cavity geometries; dumbbell-shaped lasers; etched air-post vertical-cavity surface emitting laser diodes; fundamental mode lasing emission; linear polarization; orthogonal polarization suppression ratio; rhombus-shaped cavities; threshold current; two-fold polarization degeneracy; vertical-cavity laser polarization control; Anisotropic magnetoresistance; Diode lasers; Etching; Geometrical optics; Laser modes; Optical control; Polarization; Surface emitting lasers; Threshold current; Vertical cavity surface emitting lasers;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Photonics Technology Letters, IEEE

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

1041-1135

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/68.265883

Filename

265883