Continuous-wave operation at room temperature diode-pumped antimony-based VCSEL emitting above 2 /spl mu/m

We report on the growth by MBE and characterization of a laser diode pumped vertical cavity surface emitting laser, where the optical cavity is formed by the Bragg mirror, an air gap and a dielectric concave mirror. The laser operates at 2.43 /spl mu/m in continuous wave regime up to 291K with a circular TEM/sub 00/ beam.