LOW-THRESHOLD VOLTAGE VERTICAL-CAVITY LASERS FABRICATED BY SELECTIVE OXIDATION

Novel vertical-cavity surface emitting lasers fabricated using selective oxidation to form a current aperture under a top monolithic distributed Bragg reflector mirror are reported. Large cross-sectional area lasers (259 mu m(2)) exhibit threshold current densities of 150 A/cm(2) per quantum well and record low threshold voltage of 1.33V. Smaller lasers (36 mu m(2)) possess threshold currents of 900 mu A with maximum output powers greater than 1mW. The record performance of these oxidised vertical-cavity lasers arises from the low mirror series resistance and very efficient current injection into the active region.