Low-threshold vertical cavity surface-emitting lasers with metallic reflectors

Continuous-wave room-temperature operation is reported for the first time of vertical cavity current injection semiconductor lasers with a metallic reflector. The GaAs/(AlGa)As lasers have low-threshold currents of 8 mA for 8-μm-diam contacts and threshold current densities of 9.5 kA/cm2. Single longitudinal mode and bimodal operation are obtained for short and long Fabry–Perot étalons, respectively. The spectral width of the single-mode laser line is 0.1 Å. The laser structures have a very small series resistance which results in a voltage drop of 1.8 V along the diodes at lasing threshold.