Improved performance of oxide-confined vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers using a tunnel injection active region

Data are presented on vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers that use tunneling for injection of electrons into a quantum well active region. The tunneling injection scheme increases the electronic confinement and improves the lasing performance for small active areas. A lasing threshold of 36 μA with a slope efficiency of 23% is achieved for a 2.5 μm device, and a 52% slope efficiency is achieved for a 4 μm device with a 92 μA threshold.