Abstract

A Very-Small-Aperture Laser (VSAL) is a semiconductor laser with a tiny opening machined in a metal film applied to the output facet. There has been much excitement lately concerning the use of VSALs for ultra-high density optical data storage. Recently, a group at Bell Laboratories demonstrated that VSALs could be used to generate sub-wavelength optical spots with optical power approaching one mW [1]. Previous sub-wavelength sources (primarily implemented using tapered fibers) had outputs that were orders of magnitude smaller – much too weak to be used for optical data storage applications.

© 2003 Optical Society of America