Abstract

Recently, we have developed a self-consistent thermal-electrical model¹ of etched-well vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) that features a two-dimensional analysis of heat-flux and current spreading and a realistic distribution of heat sources and includes temperature dependence of a number of material and device parameters. We have used this model to optimize the device design, aiming at maximization of the optical output power. We have determined optimal values of many device design parameters, such as doping levels, layer thicknesses, contact geometry, and the active-region diameter. In the process, we have achieved significant reduction of thermal resistance: from 415 K/W for a typical etched-well device² of 10-µm active-region diameter, down to 188 K/W for an optimized device of 16-µm active-region diameter, in spite of a simultaneous increase in the pumping current density.

© 1992 Optical Society of America