VERTICAL-CAVITY SURFACE EMITTING LASER UTILIZING A REVERSED-BIASED DIODE FOR IMPROVED CURRENT CONFINEMENT

摘要

A current confinement element [131] that can be used in constructing light-emitting devices. The current confinement element [131] includes a top layer [133] and an aperture-defining layer. The top layer [133] includes a top semiconducting material of a first conductivity type that is transparent to light. The aperture-defining layer includes an aperture region [132] and a confinement region [131]. The aperture region [132] includes an aperture semiconducting material of the first conductivity type that is transparent to light. The confinement region [131] surrounds the aperture region [132] and includes a material that has been doped to provide a high resistance to the flow of current. In one embodiment of the invention, the confinement region [131] includes a semiconducting material of a second conductivity type.