Continuous wave 1.3 /spl mu/m InAs-InGaAs quantum dot VCSELs on GaAs substrates

Summary form only given. Vertical cavity surface emitting lasers (VCSELs) emitting at 1.3 /spl mu/m and integrated with GaAs-based microelectronic circuits have many potential applications in optical communication systems. Several approaches exist for the realization of 1.3 /spl mu/m VCSELs. A promising approach for the realization of longer wavelength VCSELs is the use of self-organized InAs-InGaAs quantum dot (QD) active gain regions. In 1997 we demonstrated QD VCSELs on GaAs with peak emission wavelengths near 1.0 /spl mu/m and sub-milliampere threshold currents. We have now extended the QD peak emission wavelength to 1.3 /spl mu/m by selectively varying the physical size and composition of the InAs-InGaAs dots and herein report room temperature continuous wave (CW) 1.3 /spl mu/m QD VCSELs. While striving to maximize the uniformity of the QDs to increase device efficiency at a single emission wavelength, we have also experimented with sheets of QDs wherein the dot size is purposely nonuniform. Though less efficient, these nonuniform QD active regions have potential applications in tunable VCSELs where a broad gain bandwidth is required.