DocumentCode :
2944576
Title :
Polarization switching in vertical-cavity surface emitting lasers observed at constant active region temperature
Author :
Chilla, J.L.A. ; Martin-Regalado, J. ; Rocca, J.J. ; Brusenbach, P.
Author_Institution :
Dept. of Electr. Eng., Colorado State Univ., Fort Collins, CO, USA
fYear :
1997
fDate :
23-25 June 1997
Firstpage :
106
Lastpage :
107
Abstract :
We report a systematic study of the polarization switching behavior during single mode emission in gain-guided VCSELs. An explanation for polarization switching in VCSELs has been offered based on the fact that self heating of the devices by the injected current changes the relative spectral alignment between the laser gain and the cavity resonances of nondegenerate polarization states. A theoretical model including magnetic sub-levels of the conduction and heavy-hole valence bands in a quantum-well VCSEL predicts additional polarization switching mechanisms that occur even when the active region temperature is kept constant. We show experimental evidence of such polarization switching at constant active region temperature. The lasers used in this study are proton-implanted AlGaAs/GaAs multiple quantum well VCSELs on a linear array of devices with active region diameter of 15 /spl mu/m and top contact window diameter of 12 /spl mu/m, operating around 850 nm.
Keywords :
III-V semiconductors; aluminium compounds; gallium arsenide; laser cavity resonators; light polarisation; quantum well lasers; surface emitting lasers; 12 micron; 15 micron; 850 nm; AlGaAs-GaAs; cavity resonances; constant active region temperature; gain-guided VCSELs; heavy-hole valence bands; injected current; laser gain; linear array; magnetic sub-levels; multiple quantum well VCSELs; nondegenerate polarization states; polarization switching; proton-implanted lasers; relative spectral alignment; self heating; single mode emission; top contact window diameter; vertical-cavity surface emitting lasers; Heating; Laser modes; Laser theory; Laser transitions; Magnetic resonance; Optical polarization; Quantum well lasers; Surface emitting lasers; Temperature; Vertical cavity surface emitting lasers;
fLanguage :
English
Publisher :
ieee
Conference_Titel :
Device Research Conference Digest, 1997. 5th
Conference_Location :
Fort Collins, CO, USA
Print_ISBN :
0-7803-3911-8
Type :
conf
DOI :
10.1109/DRC.1997.612492
Filename :
612492
Link To Document :
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