MONOLITHIC, MULTIPLE-WAVELENGTH VERTICAL-CAVITY SURFACE-EMITTING LASER ARRAYS BY SURFACE-CONTROLLED MOCVD GROWTH-RATE ENHANCEMENT AND REDUCTION

Monolithic, multiple-wavelength vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) arrays have been obtained by the surface-controlled enhanceme nt and reduction of the MOCVD epitaxial growth rate, achieving a perio dic, graded wavelength span greater than 30 nm. Room-temperature (RT), electrically pumped continuous-wave (CW) lasing is demonstrated, with uniform threshold currents of 5.5 +/- 0.5 mA with typical output powe rs of 0.5 mW. We show here for the first time both the enhancement and the reduction of the growth rate of the entire VCSEL structure and de monstrate the controlled variation of the VCSEL lasing wavelength over a widened spectral range by exploiting both effects.