Optimal Design and Reduced Threshold in Vertically Emitting Circular Bragg Disk Resonator Lasers

We derive a comprehensive coupled-mode theory, including resonant vertical emission effects, for the analysis of nonperiodic circular Bragg lasers. We derive the governing characteristic equation for such lasers, yielding the threshold gain level and the resonance frequency. By reducing the threshold gain and maximizing the ratio of "useful signal" to the power leakage, we find optimum conditions for vertically emitting circular Bragg microdisk lasers which indicate that low-threshold operation is possible