Short/long-wavelength VCSELs for optical interconnect applications

Vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) are expected to become useful as light sources in optical interconnects in computers and optical information processing. This is due to their unique features such as low current operation and ease in array formation. The performance of 0.85- or 0.98- /spl mu/m short-wavelength VCSELs developed so far is now reaching a practical level. The VCSEL is flip-chip bonded to a submount. Polarization control in VCSELs is important for some applications that use polarization-sensitive elements such as beam-splitters. The active layer consisted of a 12-nm-thick 10-period InGaAs dot/AlGaAs layer sandwiched by an n-type AlGaAs and a p-type AlGaAs spacer layer.