Abstract: Semiconductor devices and a method for generating light in a semiconductor device are invented and disclosed. The method includes the steps of forming a vertical cavity surface emitting laser including an active region and an oxide layer, the active region separated from the oxide layer and configured to generate light in response to an injected current and introducing an implant layer adjacent and underneath the oxide layer to confine the injected current to a region of the device where charge carriers are combining to generate light. The semiconductor devices include an implant layer between the oxide layer and the active region. The implant layer prevents lateral leakage current from exiting a region of the device where charge carriers are combining to generate light.

Abstract: A laser diode driver IC of a transmitter or transceiver is provided with circuitry for monitoring the forward voltage of the laser diode or laser diodes of the transmitter or transceiver to enable the health of the laser diode or diodes to be assessed in real-time.

Abstract: Semiconductor devices and a method for generating light in a semiconductor device are invented and disclosed. The method includes the steps of forming a vertical cavity surface emitting laser including an active region and an oxide layer, the active region separated from the oxide layer and configured to generate light in response to an injected current and introducing an implant layer adjacent and underneath the oxide layer to confine the injected current to a region of the device where charge carriers are combining to generate light. The semiconductor devices include an implant layer between the oxide layer and the active region. The implant layer prevents lateral leakage current from exiting a region of the device where charge carriers are combining to generate light.

Abstract: A laser diode driver IC of a transmitter or transceiver is provided with circuitry for monitoring the forward voltage of the laser diode or laser diodes of the transmitter or transceiver to enable the health of the laser diode or diodes to be assessed in real-time.

Abstract: In one aspect, a vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) is operable to generate single-mode laser light at an operative wavelength. The VCSEL includes a light-emitting surface and a monolithic longitudinal stack structure. The longitudinal stack structure includes a first mirror, a second mirror, and a cavity region. The cavity region is disposed between the first mirror and the second mirror and includes an active light generation region and a cavity extension region. The longitudinal stack structure further includes an ion-implanted current confinement region. A VCSEL array incorporating the above described VCSEL and a method of making the above-described VCSEL also are described.

Abstract: Using lateral physical modulation, the optical properties of VCSELs can be stabilized and controlled by spatially varying the characteristics of the device material. This results in stabilization of the linewidth, the numerical aperture, the near and far field, as a function of bias and temperature. A VCSEL includes a substrate, an active region sandwiched between an upper and lower distributed Bragg reflector (DBRs), and electrical contacts. A light emission property e.g. the index of refraction, may be varied by patterning or texturing the surface of the substrate prior to growth of the epitaxial DBR layers or at least one layer of either the upper or lower DBRs, or by inserting a non-planar layer.

Abstract: In one aspect, a vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) is operable to generate single-mode laser light at an operative wavelength. The VCSEL includes a light-emitting surface and a monolithic longitudinal stack structure. The longitudinal stack structure includes a first mirror, a second mirror, and a cavity region. The cavity region is disposed between the first mirror and the second mirror and includes an active light generation region and a cavity extension region. The longitudinal stack structure further includes an ion-implanted current confinement region. A VCSEL array incorporating the above described VCSEL and a method of making the above-described VCSEL also are described.