PHASE-LOCKED 2-DIMENSIONAL ARRAYS OF VERTICAL CAVITY SURFACE EMITTING LASERS

Abstract

We report the characteristics of two-dimensional phase-locked arrays to vertical cavity surface emitting lasers. Three different two-dimensional array structures have been realized, they are a 2 X 3 periodic array of 10-mu-m squares, a hexagonal array and a centered hexagonal array of 5-mu-m hexagons. All arrays were fabricated using the same technique which was a combination of mesa etching and oxygen implantation isolation. The threshold current of 2 X 3 periodic array was 24 mA, hexagonal array was 30 mA and centered hexagonal array was 22 mA. The far field beam angle was about 2-degrees. The centered hexagonal array has the most circularly symmetric far field beam pattern.