Band model for light-polarization selection in unstrained quantum-well vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers - art. no. 033819

We present a model for light polarization in vertical-cavity surface-emitti ng lasers (VCSEL's) based;on semiconductor Bloch equations, which includes the effects of valence-band mixing and accounts for the possibility of diff erent spin-flip rates for conduction electrons and holes. We calculate the stability boundaries of linearly polarized solutions and compare them with those of the model introduced by San Miguel, Feng, and Moloney [Phys. Rev. A 52, 1728 (1995)], to which our equations reduce under appropriate assumpt ions. We study the dependence of such boundaries on some physical parameter of the VCSEL, and show how our equations can be used to interpret some mea surements of the spin-flip rate performed recently.