Effects of 2 MeV proton irradiation on operating wavelength and leakage current of vertical cavity surface emitting lasers

We investigate the effect of 2 MeV proton radiation on high-speed oxide-confined vertical cavity surface emitting lasers. Fluences in the range of /spl phi/=2.5/spl times/10/sup 12/ p/cm/sup 2/ to /spl phi/=5/spl times/10/sup 14/ p/cm/sup 2/ were studied and laser threshold current was found to degrade linearly with fluence according to a damage factor of K/sub I/=2.77/spl times/10/sup -15/cm/sup 2//p. Laser operating wavelength increased with fluence and experienced a maximum /spl Delta//spl lambda///spl lambda/ of /spl sim/0.71% at /spl phi/=5/spl times/10/sup 14/ p/cm/sup 2/. Leakage current also increases as a result of the proton irradiation. We propose a degradation model based on mobility reduction and carrier removal.