Analysis and applications of coupled leaky-mode, implant-defined surface-emitting laser arrays

Abstract

Anti-guided vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) arrays have been designed, fabricated, and characterized using a number of methods. Two-dimensional coherent arrays are useful for biological and atmospheric sensing, free-space and fiber-based optical links, high-power laser pumps, and optical imaging. Coherently coupled arrays exhibit desirable characteristics such as low beam divergence and high brightness. However, the fabrication procedures necessary for such designs are typically complicated and expensive. This work demonstrates and explores a new and much simpler anti-guided VCSEL array design using ion implantation and photonic crystal confinement. The origin of anti-guiding in these laser arrays is described in detail, and design rules for optimizing performance are discussed. A complete description of the means to achieve optical coupling in surface-emitting laser arrays, as well as the coherence in these arrays, is presented through both theoretical and experimental investigations. These lasers are shown to be capable of producing highly coherent, single-mode, in-phase output beams. The application of such arrays as low-divergence and steerable sources is demonstrated experimentally.