Nonpolar III-nitride vertical-cavity surface emitting lasers with a polarization ratio of 100% fabricated using photoelectrochemical etching

Photoelectrochemical (PEC) band gap selective undercut etching is discussed as an alternative technique to chemical-mechanical polishing and laser-lift off for substrate removal for III-nitride vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs). A top-down PEC etch is also described, which offers the ability to epitaxially define an etch-stop layer, thereby achieving a high degree of cavity length control. The temperature-dependent lasing characteristics of m-plane VCSELs fabricated using PEC etching techniques are analyzed. Measurements of multiple VCSELs from the same wafer yielded lasing emission polarized along the a-direction with a polarization ratio of 100%, indicating that the entire array was uniformly polarized.