Gigabit-per-second cryogenic optical link using optimized low-temperature AlGaAs-GaAs vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers

We describe the design of GaAs-AlGaAs vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) that are optimized for operation at very low temperatures and the experimental demonstration of a free-space optical interconnect for cryogenic electronic systems using a VCSEL. We demonstrate high-speed modulation of the optical link at a data rate of up to 2 Gb/s at 77 K, with a very low bit-error rate of <10/sup -13/, and thermally stable operation is achieved over a wide range of cryogenic temperatures without laser bias current compensation. Cryogenic VCSELs with excellent lasing characteristics have been achieved over the entire temperature range from 150 K to 6 K, including high output power (22 mW), high power-conversion efficiency (32%), high slope efficiency (/spl sim/100%), low threshold voltage (1.75 V) and current (1.7 mA), as well as a high-modulation bandwidth (12 GHz) for a 16 /spl mu/m diameter device at 80 K.