Patent ID: 8455279

Claim:
A method of manufacturing a vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL), the method comprising: growing a lower mirror on a substrate; growing an active region on the lower mirror, the active region having one or more quantum wells configured to generate light by stimulated emission; growing an upper mirror on the active region; forming an electrical aperture in or near the active region; positioning a light transmissive grating layer on the upper mirror and above the electrical aperture, the light transmissive grating layer including a low index of refraction layer on the upper mirror and a high index of refraction layer on the low index of refraction layer, the high index of refraction layer having an index of refraction that is at least about 0.3 greater than the index of refraction of the low index of refraction layer; and forming a grating that extends at least partially into the high index of refraction layer, the grating configured to pin polarization of light emitted from the active region.