Abstract

Vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) with a large aperture emit, though longitudinal single mode, a rich spectrum of transverse modes, which is an intriguing subject for studying non-linear pattern formation. The material gain curve and the resonance of the laser cavity shift both depending on temperature, but with markedly different rates. Decreasing the temperature of the laser thus increases the detuning between gain maximum and on-axis cavity resonance, so that the resonance frequency does not match the maximum gain frequency anymore. Thus, tilted waves with higher transverse wave numbers, having the matching frequency, are favored.

© 2007 IEEE