The thermal crosstalk effect severely limits the application of Vertical-Cavity Surface-Emitting Laser (VCSEL) array. In this paper, using the high transparency and ultra-fast mobility of graphene, we have designed a VCSEL array with graphene electrode (Gr-VCSEL array). By avoiding lateral transport of current, the series resistance and self-heating of Gr-VCSEL are reduced. Compared with traditional VCSEL array, the 10×10 Gr-VCSEL array achieves a 20.6% reduction in series resistance and a 26% decrease in red-shift rate of wavelength. Benefit by the high thermal conductivity of graphene electrode, the thermal resistance of Gr-VCSEL array is reduced by 7.8%. This structure has excellent thermal properties and is not limited by wavelength, which provides a new method for the development of VCSEL array.
High-temperature operating characteristics and polarization stability are important for VCSEL as an atomic clock light source. In this study, the polarization-stable single-mode 795 nm VCSEL with anisotropic aperture was successful fabricated by controlled the asymmetric airflow distribution and the different oxidation rates of the crystal direction. The oxidation of different crystal direction of asymmetric oxidation aperture with time is summarized. The surface electric fields of the traditional circular oxidation aperture VCSEL(C-VCSEL) and diamond shape oxidation aperture VCSEL(D-VCSEL) with different aperture sizes are investigated by simulation, and then the cause of the anisotropy of D-VCSEL is explored. The special anisotropic oxidation aperture of the device makes it have stable polarized characteristics. The demonstrated D-VCSEL with dimensions of 3.6 μm × 4.8 μm, achieving an orthogonal polarization suppression ratio (OPSR) exceeding 30 dB while maintaining low threshold and high single-mode output even at temperatures up to 80 °C.
Vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) array is the important laser source in LiDAR ranging systems (LiDAR). The VCSEL array have important effects on the electro-optical transient response characteristics and power density for time-of-flight ToF ranging technology. In this study, by using the carrier-photon coupling equation of semiconductor lasers, we established a Simulink model of the rate equation of pulsed VCSEL arrays, an equivalent circuit model and a heat dissipation model of VCSELs. We analyzed the factors affecting the electro-optical transient response of pulsed VCSEL arrays theoretically. Then we verified the result experimentally. In this paper, the effects of array size and spurious parameters on the electro-optical delay time and optical pulse rise time of VCSEL arrays are discussed.
Both simulation and experimental results show that the rise time of the VCSEL array decreases and then increases as the size of the array increases in the narrow pulse driving circuit. This provides a light source optimization scheme for the application of VCSEL arrays in LiDAR ranging systems (LiDAR). It also provides a theoretical basis for the in-depth study of VCSEL arrays under pulse driving.
Vertical cavity surface emitting lasers (VCSELs) have been widely used in optical recognition, optical communication, optical storage and other fields owing to their unique circular symmetrical spot, small volume and ease of high density array integration. In this paper, with the array beam collimated by compound lens, the beam distribution and far-field characteristics of VCSEL array are analyzed. In addition, the beam quality characteristics of VCSEL array are also studied, and the effects of different lenses combinations on the beam divergence angle and spatial coherence of VCSEL array are compared and discussed. The results show that the divergence angle of VCSEL array gradually increases with the increase of injection current, while the spatial coherence of VCSEL array decreases. For the 10 × 10 VCSEL array with an oxidation aperture of 10 um and a center distance of 130 um, when working at 200 mA , the beam divergence angle decreases from 21.8° to 0.2°, the beam coherence increases from 0.556 to 0.861, and the coherence increases by 54% after collimation by the composite lens , which is of great significance to improve the application of VCSEL array light source in free space coherent detection and optical communication.
Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser(VCSEL) generally require a beam shaping process before being applied in various scenarios due to the beam propagation characteristics. The beam waist position and size of the VCSEL are critical for beam shaping, associated with the injection current. In this contribution, the theoretical model of the equivalent confocal cavity is innovatively employed to analyze the variation of the beam waist size and the position of VCSEL. Concurrently, a novel approach has been proposed to investigate the variation of the beam waist by measuring the wavefront of the beam transformed by a single lens. The beam waist size is calculated by measuring the far-field divergence of the beam and data reveal that the beam waist diameter decreases from 3.27 μm to 1.15 μm. Combined with the change of beam waist size, the shift of the beam waist position on the optical propagation axis is analyzed in micron level. At the end, we calculate the optimization effect of this study on the beam-collimated.
The emerging surface plasmon technology could break through the diffraction limit by the miniaturization of the laser. However, the efficient coupling from the plasmon lasers to waveguides is still a fundamental and practical challenge. In the paper, a novel surface plasmon square cavity with tapered one-dimensional photonic crystal (1D PhC) structure coupling to a waveguide is designed. We simulate and optimize the PhC plasmon coupling cavity structure parameters. The waveguide coupling efficiency of ~77% is achieved. The simulated results show that the quality factor is ~385 for this double-cavity coupling scheme at a operating wavelength of 1561nm. The coupling cavity width is only about λ/3. It is nearly lossless for the light propagating in the coupled Si waveguide. Moreover, the tapered PhC coupling cavity can be served as an ultra-small emitter source with an output power of 50 μW at the input current of 100 μA, which is ~7 times more than that of the straight waveguide cavity case. Such surface plasmon cavity with tapered 1D PhC will become a promising candidate for on-chip laser sources in the next generation optical interconnection.
This paper proposes a two-dimensional back-coupled grating waveguide coupler structure and its parameter optimization method. The WGC can split a part of the photons of the incident beam uniformly in four directions, and make the split photons back-coupled to the incident direction. The unique structure enables the WGC to be applied to an array laser light source that requires uniform back coupling of the beam in four directions. In addition, through the analysis of the parameter scanning results of the WGC, we found that although the coupling efficiency in two directions of the two-dimensional grating is affected by the combined impact of multiple directional parameters, but some of these effects are major and some are minor. Using this discovery, we have greatly reduced the amount of calculation required for parameter optimization for two-dimensional WGC, and provided a certain reference for later researchers.
For the subwavelength grating guided mode resonance filter (GMRF) with a spacer layer, the drift mechanism of reflective phase was analyzed, and the relation between the optical wave phase and the spectral linewidth was investigated with the planar waveguide theory and the principle of guided mode resonance. On this basis, the super narrow linewidth resonator with the wavelength of 852 nm is designed. The simulation results show that the larger slope of phase as a function of wavelength (dφ/dΛ) becomes in the resonant range, the narrower linewidth (Δλ) is shown in the reflection spectrum. Furthermore, the energy of electric field concentrated in the waveguide layer is also higher in the corresponding field distribution. Different structural parameters have different effects on reflection characteristics. As the thickness of the grating layer decreases, the slope of the phase (dφ/dλ) increases from 1.0419 to 12.2666, and the linewidth decreases by 90%. With the increase of spacer layer thickness , the phase slope (dφ/dλ) increases from 2.04 to 7.15, and then the Q (Q≈λ0/Δλ) value goes from 1058.382 to 5174.393. The variation of the period of the subwavelength grating mainly affects the location of the resonance center wavelength, but has little effect on the rate of phase swing. By optimizing these parameters, the coupled resonant cavity with a narrow linewidth 0.002nm is designed, and the Q reaches 4.26×105 .
We have designed and investigated a stable polarization microelectromechanical system (MEMS)-tunable vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) at wavelength around 980 nm with an inter-cavity subwavelength grating (ISWG). An ISWG is etched on the top of the “Half-VCSEL” consisting of the active semiconductor and the bottom mirror to select the polarization mode during the whole tuning range. The rigorous coupled wave analysis (RCWA) had be used to design and optimize the parameters of the ISWG including index, thickness, period and duty cycle to achieve a high reflectance for the desire polarization and a lower reflectance for the other polarization. Then we calculated the total reflectance of ISWG, air gap and top DBR using transmission matrix method. By designing the parameters of ISWG, we can ensure that the fundamental mode has a higher reflectance, or lower threshold current than the other modes. After calculation, we have gotten the parameters as follows. The index of the ISWG and the substrate is 3.58; thickness is 300nm; period is 500 nm; duty cycle is 0.5. The reflectance of ISWG is 0.985 for the TM polarization and 0.382 for TE polarization. The total reflectance of the whole structure is 0.995 for TM polarization and 0.902 for TE polarization in the tuning range. The difference of the reflectance between two polarization modes can select the polarization mode of lasing. This structure can achieve a tuning range of 30nm for TM single polarization.
852nm Narrow linewidth lasers can be widely used in the field of ultra-fine spectrum measurement, Cs atomic clock control, satellite and optical fiber communication and so on. Furthermore, the stability of the single lateral mode is a very important condition to guarantee the narrow linewidth lasers. Here we investigate experimentally the influence of the narrow ridge structure and asymmetrical waveguide design on the stability single lateral mode of an 852nm diode laser. According to the waveguide theoretical analysis, ridge mesa etch depth (Δη , related to the refractive index difference of parallel to the junction) and ridge mesa width (the narrower the more control force to low order mode) are the main elements for lateral modes. In this paper, we designed different structures to investigate and verify major factors for lateral mode by experiment, and to confirm our thought. Finally, the 5μm mesa ridge laser, 800nm etch depth, with groove structure obtains excellent steady single lateral mode output by 150mA operating current and 30°C temperature. The optical spectrum FWHM is 0.5nm and side mode suppression ratio is 27dBm with uncoated. The laser with 1mm cavity length showed the threshold current of 50mA, a lasing wavelength of λ = 852.6nm, slope efficiency of above 0.7mW/mA. We accomplished single lateral mode of ridge waveguide edge-emitting lasers which can also be used as a laser source in the ultra-narrow linewidth external cavity laser system.
Based on the band gap theory, a dual-wavelength VCSELs with same direction, equal-intensity,
high-Q program is presented. The wavelengths of the VCSEL can be located with the aid of the
Al0.8Ga0.2As defect layer in 1D photonic crystal structure. The results indicated that
one-dimensional PC with a sheet of defect layer provides a parent structure on which laser beam
can be well engineered without the expense of the macroscopic structural integrity.
Low threshold, continuous wavelength tuning micro-electro-mechanically system (MEMS) tunable
vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) operating at 980 nm are demonstrated. The device utilizes the
two-chip concept with a MEMS membrane mirror suspended by an air gap above a VCSEL amplifier. Output
power of 4.56 mW with 14μm diameter oxide aperture in continuous operation and tuning range of 6.8nm are
obtained. Due to the low optical loss in resonance cavity results in threshold current as low as 0.6 mA at room
temperature. Theoretical calculation for the threshold gain as a function of the wavelength and air gap is obtained
respectively, which provides the design strategies to improve device performance.
For developing the tunable performance and stability, we present a widely tunable 850nm-range VCSEL structure based on the voltage-dependent birefringence of liquid crystal. An intracavity liquid crystal layer is imbedded between the top DBR (Distributed Bragg Reflector) and the Half VCSEL as an electro-optic index modulator. An Al0.98Ga0.02As oxidization layer was grown above the active region for current and optical confinement. By the calculation, we found tuning efficiency increased after thickening the liquid crystal layer. However, the optical loss in resonance cavity also increased simultaneously. For compromise, we got that 1837nm is the most suitable thickness. And the tuning efficiency is obviously larger than the electrostatic method. Then, we calculated the electric field intensity distribution, the gain characteristics of GaAs/Al0.3Ga0.7 As quantum wells and the threshold features when thickness of liquid crystal layer is 1837nm. By analyzing these results, tuning efficiency of 5.4nm/V and 15nm tuning range are obtained at last. Our study could provide insight into tunable VCSELs design and optimization.
The relationship between the wavelength shift and the thickness of the air gap was investigated by the Optical Standing
Wave Method; the modal characteristics of the MEMS tunable Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Lasers were also
analysed in the Dielectric Cylindrical Waveguide by the Improved Effective Index Model.
As one of the most rapidly growing areas of the tunable semiconductor diodes, tunable vertical
cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) have been focused on and the wavelength tuning
characteristics have been investigated in detail. By applying an electrostatic bias between the
semiconductor and the cantilever which is an external reflector apart from the device, the stimulated
wavelength can be continuously modulated with a continuous tuning over a 10nm spectral range. It is
found that, as the tunable VCSEL operate in its stable regime, the displacement of the cantilever will
result in a periodic variation in the intensity and wavelength with a period of half the resonant
wavelength. We also found the same phenomenon in the tunable RCLED. In addition, based on our
observations, precise analysis is presented from the Lang and Kobayashi model. Our results show an
adequate match between theory and experiments for the detailed tunable spectra. These results can be
used to greatly enhance the performance of tunable VCSEL and RCLED.
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