TRANSVERSE-MODES AND LASING CHARACTERISTICS OF SELECTIVELY GROWN VERTICAL-CAVITY SEMICONDUCTOR-LASERS

Vertical-cavity surface emitting lasers (VCSELs) were grown by molecul ar beam epitaxy over openings in a SiN4 mask, deposited on a GaAs wafe r. We obtained ready to use lasers and laser arrays, laterally defined by the polycrystalline, highly resistive material grown over the SiN4 laser. The performance of the lasers (e.g., 20x20 mu m(2) by size) we re similar to that of VCSELs defined by post growth processing methods . Special transverse modes characteristics and a well defined polariza tion were observed in square shaped lasers and it was attributed to se lective growth induced anisotropy. (C) 1996 American Institute of Phys ics.