Polarization selection in birefringent vertical-cavity surface emitting lasers

Summary form only given. Polarisation characteristics of vertical cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) exhibit significant differences to those of edge-emitting semiconductor lasers. In general the polarization of the fundamental transverse mode can change when the injected current is altered. It has also been noted that the strain induced during the fabrication causes birefringence in VCSELs. In this work we present numerical calculations that demonstrate that small refraction index anisotropies can select the polarization of VCSEL.