High single-mode power conversion efficiency vertical-cavity top-surface-emitting lasers

We report advances in the power conversion (wall-plug) efficiency of vertical-cavity top-surface-emitting lasers. The devices were fabricated from molecular beam epitaxial layers using deep proton implants to define gain-guided lasers. The epitaxial structure included low resistance, piecewise linearly graded n-type and p-type mirrors, a triple In/sub 0.2/Ga/sub 0.8/As quantum-well active region, and a delta-doped contact layer. Power conversion efficiencies as high as 12.7% for continuous-wave single-mode operation were measured after several hours of device operation.>