Polarization control of vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers by electro-optic birefringence

Polarization of vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) grown on ( 001) GaAs substrate has been controlled by electro-optic birefringence. Bir efringence was induced at the top distributed Bragg reflector by applying a n electric field along the [001] direction. The cavity resonance of the pol arized light along the [110] or [1 (1) over bar 0] direction shifted to sho rter and longer wavelength, depending on the direction of the applied elect ric field. By varying the direction and strength of the electric field, we actively controlled the polarization of VCSELs. The dominant polarization m ode occurred along the [110] direction for the negative electric field, and along the [1 (1) over bar 0] direction for the positive electric field. (C ) 2000 American Institute of Physics. [S0003-6951(00)04207-8].