Vertical cavity surface-emitting laser with optical guide and current aperture

Abstract

A VCSEL comprises separate current and optical guides that provide unique forms of drive current and transverse mode confinement, respectively. In one embodiment, the optical guide comprises an intracavity high refractive index mesa disposed transverse to the cavity resonator axis and a multi-layered dielectric (i.e., non-epitaxial) mirror overlaying the mesa. In another embodiment, the current guide comprises an annular first electrode which laterally surrounds the mesa but has an inside diameter which is greater than that of an ion-implantation-defined current aperture. The current guide causes current to flow laterally from the first electrode along a first path segment which is essentially perpendicular to the resonator axis, then vertically from the first segment along a second path segment essentially parallel to that axis, and finally through the current aperture and the active region to a second electrode. The dielectric mirror is deposited only after the formation of the guides in order to facilitate their fabrication.