UC Santa Barbara

A new long-wavelength vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser structure is described that utilizes AlGaAs-GaAs mirrors bonded to AlInGaAs-InP quantum wells with an intracavity buried tunnel junction. This structure offers complete wavelength flexibility in the 1250-1650 nm fiber communication bands and reduces the high free-carrier losses and bonded junction voltage drops in previous devices. The intracavity contacts electrically bypass the bonded junctions to reduce threshold voltage. N-type current spreading layers and undoped AlGaAs mirrors minimize optical losses. This has enabled 134 degreesC maximum continuous-wave lasing temperature, 2-mW room-temperature continuous-wave single-mode power, and 1-mW single-mode power at 80 degreesC, in various devices in the 1310-1340 nm wavelength range.