Patent ID: 7391799

Claim:
A vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) with a mode selective semiconductor mirror, the VCSEL comprising: an active region formed between a bottom DBR stack and a top DBR stack; a first semiconductor layer of a III/V semiconductor material formed on the top DBR stack; a second semiconductor layer of an aluminum containing III/V semiconductor material formed on the first semiconductor layer, wherein the first semiconductor layer is an etch stop for the second semiconductor layer; a third semiconductor layer of a III/V semiconductor material formed on the second semiconductor layer, wherein the second semiconductor layer is an etch stop for the third semiconductor layer; wherein the second semiconductor layer and the third semiconductor layer are selectively etched to form an inner central zone surrounded by an annular outer zone wherein the annular zone is phase mismatched to the top DBR stack and provides a radially varying reflectance and absorption to the VCSEL and wherein the second semiconductor layer and the third semiconductor layer have a cumulative thickness of about a quarter wavelength.