Vertical cavity laser with depleted optical thyristor structure for optical switching systems

We demonstrate, for the first time, the optical properties of the selectively oxidized vertical cavity laser (VCL) with a depleted optical thyristor (DOT) structure, which has not only a low threshold current, but also a high sensitivity to the optical input light. The oxidized PnpN VCL-DOT clearly shows the nonlinear s-shaped current-voltage and lasing characteristics. A switching voltage of 5.24 V, a holding voltage of 1.50 V, and a very low threshold current of 0.65 mA is measured, making these devices attractive for optical processing applications.