Abstract

Recently, Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Semiconductor Lasers (VCSKL) have become the focus of an increasing number of experimental and theoretical investigations [1]. Having extreemly low lasing thresholds and operating on a single longitudinal laser mode, VCSELs are promising for becoming applied in future optical communication systems, optical interconnects or in optical recording and storage devices. The prospect of coherently coupling VCSEL,s in the form of a 2-dimensional array on one single wafer make them even more attractive. However, as a consequence of the characteristic VCSEL geometry a short. but comparatively wide resonaor a VCSEL typically supports more than one transverse optical mode if its width exceeds 5 to 10 µm.

© 1996 IEEE