Abstract: A vertical cavity surface emitting laser (103) and a diode (105) is provided. The diode (105) is electrically coupled in reverse parallel to the vertical cavity surface emitting laser (103), thereby providing a portion of protection against electro-static discharge damage to the vertical cavity surface emitting laser (103).

Abstract: Automatic power control of a semiconductor laser (12, 72) is achieved by monitoring the spontaneous lateral emissions from the semiconductor laser and adjusting the drive signal to the laser based on the detected emissions. A lateral detector (13, 73) generates a photocurrent from the spontaneous emissions. The detector signal (Ilat) is compared to a reference signal (Iref) and the difference is applied to the drive signal (Ilas) to alter or control the laser output. The magnitudes of the reference signal source and the drive signal source are determined and set based on the desired optical output power of the semiconductor laser measured at a series of temperatures.

Abstract: An array of annular waveguide VCSELs for achieving a stable single high order mode light source characterized as emitting a plurality of emission beams of varying wavelengths. The device array including a first mirror stack with mirror pairs in a Al.sub.x Ga.sub.1-x As/Al.sub.y Ga.sub.1-y As material system lattice matched to an active region. The active region includes an active structure sandwiched between a first cladding region adjacent the first mirror stack and a second cladding region, the active structure having at least one quantum well. The VCSEL further includes a second mirror stack lattice matched to the second cladding region and having mirror pairs in a Al.sub.x Ga.sub.1-x As/Al.sub.y Ga.sub.1-y As material system. The second mirror stack is etched to define a first VCSEL and at least one additional VCSEL, each VCSEL including an etched region, thereby defining an annular emission region through which light generated by the annular waveguide VCSEL is emitted.

Abstract: A vertical cavity surface emitting laser array with an integrated PIN photodiode. The PIN photodiode includes a first region of a first doped material, a second region of an undoped material and a third region composed of an n-doped stack of distributed Bragg reflectors. The vertical cavity surface emitting laser includes the n-type stack of distributed Bragg reflectors, an active, and a p-type stack of distributed Bragg reflectors so as to define an optical pathway through which light is generated and passes. The integrated device allows for automatic power control of each of the individual devices forming the array by sequentially scanning the individual devices and generating feedback signals.