Patent ID: 6683898
Filing Date: 2004-01-27
Classification: G02B,H01S

Abstract:
A vertical cavity surface emitting laser comprisinga semiconductor material layer having a gain region adapted to generate light and to emit the generated light, first and second at least substantially parallel mirrors forming a laser cavity comprising the gain region and at least one spacer layer being positioned between the gain region and the first and/or the second mirror, at least the first mirror being partially transparent to the generated light so as to allow the light generated in the gain region to be emitted through the first mirror, the laser cavity and the gain region supporting at least one transverse electromagnetic mode for the generated light, and a lattice region having a two-dimensional periodic lattice of scattering centers, formed within or adjacent to the first and/or the second mirror, or within one of the at least one spacer layer(s), the periodic lattice being positioned parallel to the first and second mirror, the periodic lattice having a periodicity which substantially prevents the generated light from propagating in said lattice region, the lattice region further defining a light aperture without said periodicity, so as to allow the generated light to propagate through said light aperture, the dimensions of the lattice region and the light aperture being adapted to at least partly control an efficiency of laser action in each transverse electromagnetic mode, the dimension of the lattice region in a direction normal to the first and second mirror being significantly smaller than the overall dimension of the vertical cavity surface emitting laser in said direction.