Vertical cavity surface-emitting semiconductor laser with CW injection laser pumping

Room-temperature CW operation of a GaAs/AlGaAs vertical cavity surface-emitting laser with a resonant periodic gain medium, using a GaAs/AlGaAs diode laser array as a pump source, is discussed. Pumping thresholds as low as 11 mW at 730 nm, output powers as high as 10 mW at 856 nm, and external quantum efficiencies as high as 70% are obtained, with considerably improved temporal and spatial coherence properties compared to the pump laser. This is the first reported operation of such a laser with an efficient, compact pump source, demonstrating its suitability for efficient integration.<
>