Vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) having undoped distributed bragg reflectors and using lateral current injection and method for maximizing gain and minimizing optical cavity loss

摘要

A vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL 10) including two undoped distributed Bragg reflectors (DBRs 16,18) and an undoped active region (14) therebetween, and employing lateral current injection to the undoped active region (14) minimizes optical loss within the laser. A periodic gain structure may also be employed in the VCSEL (10), thus maximizing gain in the undoped active region (14). The undoped distributed Bragg reflectors (DBRs) in the VCSEL, reduce the optical loss within the cavity. <IMAGE>