VSTEP-based smart pixels

Author

Kasahara, Kenichi

Author_Institution

NEC Corp., Ibaraki, Japan

Volume

29

Issue

2

fYear

1993

fDate

2/1/1993 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

757

Lastpage

768

Abstract

The design features and characteristics of a laser-mode vertical-to-surface transmission electro-photonic (VSTEP) device with high-intensity light output and narrow optical beam divergence are discussed. It is shown that a 20-μm square VSTEP with an optimized vertical cavity structure demonstrates a low optical switching energy of 2.2 pJ, together with a low threshold current. In order to lower the series resistance, and to improve electrical-to-optical conversion efficiency η_T, a double mesa structure VSTEP was fabricated. The whole mesa is covered with Au to utilize the threshold reduction by photon recycling. As a result, η_T is improved to 11% at 1 mW light output. Two approaches to achieving VSTEP-based smart pixels are presented

Keywords

integrated optoelectronics; laser cavity resonators; optical interconnections; optical switches; semiconductor lasers; 1 mW; 2.2 pJ; 20 micron; Au; VSTEP-based smart pixels; design; double mesa structure; electrical-to-optical conversion efficiency; high-intensity light output; laser-mode; low optical switching energy; low threshold current; narrow optical beam divergence; optical interconnection; optimized vertical cavity structure; photon recycling; series resistance; threshold reduction; vertical to surface transmission electro-photonic device; Energy consumption; Information processing; Optical devices; Optical interconnections; Optical modulation; Semiconductor devices; Smart pixels; Surface emitting lasers; Switches; Vertical cavity surface emitting lasers;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Quantum Electronics, IEEE Journal of

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9197

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/3.199327

Filename

199327