Thermal characteristics of deep red (0.77 mu m) vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers

Spectra have been obtained as a function of current for room temperature operation of deep red (0.77 mu m) top-surface-emitting vertical-cavity-surface emitting lasers. From these spectra, the shift from single mode to multimode operation and the temperature rise from below threshold until thermal quenching are determined. By comparison with the wavelength at threshold for vertical cavity lasers with in-plane edge emitting lasers, the mismatch of the Fabry-Perot and gain peak is determined. This mismatch results in the minimum threshold current for the vertical-cavity lasers to occur considerably below room temperature.<
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