Patent ID: 8031752

Claim:
A Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser optimized for reduced parasitic lateral current under an oxide of the Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser, wherein non-radiative recombination occurs at an oxide semiconductor boundary according to a non-radiative lifetime, the Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser comprising: an active region including one or more quantum wells, wherein the active region comprises a high Al confinement region, the high Al being about >80% or more; an oxide layer comprising an aperture disposed near the active region, wherein vertically the center of the oxide layer is about ¾ wave optical thickness from the center of the quantum wells; an intermediate region between the active region and the oxide layer, the intermediate region comprising a direct bandgap material with radiative lifetimes that are less than non-radiative lifetimes, and a spacer region, the spacer region comprising an extra mirror period, wherein the extra mirror period comprises low Al and is configured to trap minority carriers to allow them to recombine radiatively in the intermediate region.