Vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) with improved gain-switching behavior

US11411374B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• TRUMPF PHOTONIC COMPONENTS GMBH · DE

Inventor

• Ulrich Weichmann · Aachen, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 19, 2019
• Grant date: Aug 9, 2022
• Expiry date: Mar 23, 2041

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H01S5/18358
• WIPO field: Optics
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser (VCSEL) has a mesa having an active region, which has m active layer structures (with m≥2). The active layer structures are electrically connected to each other by a tunnel junction therebetween. The mesa has an optical resonator, which has first and second DBRs. The active region is between the first and second DBRs. The VCSEL has first and second electrical contacts, which provide electrical current to the active region, and an electrical control contact, which controls gain-switched laser emission of the VCSEL by at least 1 up to m−1 active layer structures by a current between the electrical control contact and the first or second electrical contact. A current aperture is between the active region and the first or second electrode. A distance between the current aperture and a furthest active layer structure is at least three times the laser light's wavelength.