HIGH-FREQUENCY BEAM-STEERING INDUCED BY SWITCHING OF HIGH-ORDER TRANSVERSE-MODES IN VERTICAL-CAVITY SURFACE-EMITTING LASERS

Selection over a wide current range of high-order transverse modes in vertical cavity surface emitting lasers is achieved by using appropria te current profiling. High-frequency beam steering in the azimuthal di rection is then obtained by alternate current modulation of two orthog onal high-order transverse modes. Alternate modulation of these modes can double the pulse repetition frequency obtained by modulating just one high-order transverse mode, without increasing injected current de nsity levels. (C) 1998 American Institute of Physics.