Patent ID: 6023485
Filing Date: 2000-02-08
Classification: H01S

Abstract:
A vertical cavity surface emitting laser array with an integrated PIN photodiode comprising:a PIN photodiode including a first region of a first doped material, a second region of an undoped material disposed on the first region, and a third region of a second doped material disposed on the second region, the third region including a stack of distributed Bragg reflectors;an array of vertical cavity surface emitting lasers including the third region of a stack of distributed Bragg reflectors, an active area disposed on the stack of distributed Bragg reflectors, and a second stack of distributed Bragg reflectors disposed on the active area so as to define an optical pathway through which light is generated and passes, the vertical cavity surface emitting laser array further including a plurality of first and second electrical contacts coupled to the stacks of distributed Bragg reflectors for supplying operating power thereto and defining a plurality of individually addressable vertical cavity surface emitting laser devices; anda third electrical contact coupled to the first region, second and third regions defining the PIN photodiode and integrated with the vertical cavity surface emitting laser.