Properties of photonic lattices created using arrays of coupled vertical cavity surface emitting lasers

Summary form only given. A class of photonic lattices relies on the analogy of the bound photon states in arrays of microcavities to electronic states in a lattice of atoms. Recently, this inspired the realization of photonic molecules and photonic lattices constructed using arrays of coupled microcavities. Such periodic arrangements of bound photon modes have been used to realize disordered and-lately-strained photonic lattices. Experimentally, our photonic lattices are defined by metal-patterning highly uniform VCSEL-wafers. Excellent lateral uniformity, required for large coupled lattices, is demonstrated by the small variations of the cavity resonance in the reflectivity spectrum measured across the wafer. Lasing only occurs at the locations of high-reflectivity gold pixels placed on a low-reflectivity chromium-covered background. Using this approach, the design of the photonic lattices is extremely flexible and is limited only by the lithographic resolution. The lasing modes of these photonic modes are observed close to threshold. The structures are analyzed theoretically using a coupled resonator model employing the patterned reflectivity of the composite metal-dielectric mirror.