VERTICAL CAVITY SURFACE EMITTING LASER

Abstract

In a vertical cavity surface emitting laser including a cavity structure formed by arranging a first reflector (102), an active region (104) and a second reflector (107) on a substrate, the second reflector is formed to include a refractive index periodic structure having a first medium showing a first refractive index and a second medium showing a second refractive index lower than the first refractive index. The first medium and the second medium are arranged periodically in an in-plane direction of the substrate and an electrically conductive adjacent layer made of a material showing a refractive index lower than the first refractive index is arranged at a position adjacent to the second reflector between the active region and the second reflector.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an embodiment of vertical cavity surface emitting laser according to the present invention, illustrating the basic configuration thereof.

FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a vertical cavity surface emitting laser of a prior art, illustrating the basic configuration thereof.

FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of a two-dimensional photonic crystal that can be used for an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view of a two-dimensional photonic crystal that can be used for an embodiment of the present invention, illustrating how light is reflected by the crystal or transmits through the crystal.

FIGS. 5A and 5B schematically illustrate the vertical cavity surface emitting laser of Example 1 of the present invention, FIG. 5A is a schematic cross-sectional view of the vertical cavity surface emitting laser of Example 1 taken along a direction perpendicular to the substrate thereof and FIG. 5B is a schematic plan view of the upper cavity reflector of the vertical cavity surface emitting laser of Example 1 as viewed in a direction perpendicular to the reflector plane.

FIGS. 6A and 6B schematically illustrate the vertical cavity surface emitting laser of Example 2 of the present invention, FIG. 6A is a schematic cross-sectional view of the vertical cavity surface emitting laser of Example 2 taken along a direction perpendicular to the substrate thereof and FIG. 6B is a schematic plan view of the upper cavity reflector of the vertical cavity surface emitting laser of Example 2 as viewed in a direction perpendicular to the reflector plane.

FIG. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the vertical cavity surface emitting laser of Example 3 of the present invention taken along a direction perpendicular to the substrate thereof.

FIG. 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the vertical cavity surface emitting laser of Example 4 of the present invention taken along a direction perpendicular to the substrate thereof.

FIGS. 9A and 9B schematically illustrate the vertical cavity surface emitting laser of Example 5 of the present invention, FIG. 9A is a schematic cross-sectional view of the vertical cavity surface emitting laser of Example 5 taken along a direction perpendicular to the substrate thereof and FIG. 9B is a schematic plan view of the upper cavity reflector of the vertical cavity surface emitting laser of Example 5 as viewed in a direction perpendicular to the reflector plane.

FIG. 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the vertical cavity surface emitting laser of Example 6 of the present invention taken along a direction perpendicular to the substrate thereof.

Claims

1. A vertical cavity surface emitting laser comprising a cavity formed by arranging a first reflector, an active region and a second reflector on a substrate; the second reflector being formed to include a refractive index periodic structure having a first medium showing a first refractive index and a second medium showing a second refractive index lower than the first refractive index, the first medium and the second medium being arranged periodically in an in-plane direction of the substrate;an electrically conductive adjacent layer made of a material showing a refractive index lower than the first refractive index being arranged at a position adjacent to the second reflector between the active region and the second reflector.

2. The laser according to claim 1, wherein the material of the adjacent layer is an electrically conductive material showing a refractive index lower than the first medium of the refractive index periodic structure by more than 10%.

3. The laser according to claim 1, wherein the adjacent layer has such an electric conductivity that an electric current can be injected in the active region immediately below the refractive index periodic structure by way of the adjacent layer.

4. The laser according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the reflectors that define the cavity is formed by laying a plurality of layers each having a periodic structure in an in-plane direction and an adjacent layer is arranged adjacent to each of those layers.

5. The laser according to claim 1, wherein one of the reflectors that define the cavity is a distributed Bragg reflector and the other is a one-dimensional or two-dimensional photonic crystal having a periodic structure.

6. The laser according to claim 1, wherein both of the pair of reflectors that define the cavity are one-dimensional or two-dimensional photonic crystals having a periodic structure.

7. The laser according to claim 1, wherein the periodic structure is covered by an electrically conductive medium showing a refractive index lower than the first medium showing the first refractive index of the periodic structure by not less than 10%.

8. The laser according to claim 1, wherein the first medium showing the first refractive index of the periodic structure is a dielectric.

9. The laser according to claim 1, wherein the first medium showing the first refractive index of the periodic structure is a semiconductor.

10. The laser according to claim 1, wherein a site that disturbs the periodicity of the periodic structure is arranged in the periodic structure periodically or non-periodically.

11. The laser according to claim 1, wherein the adjacent layer functions as current injection channel at the same time as confining light in the periodic structure.