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Abstract: The unique geometry of vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) diodes engenders manufacturing and operational advantages, but it also poses challenges. Small active volumes necessitate multilayer mirrors and lateral index structures to achieve small optical losses. Electrical losses due to high series resistance also hampered early VCSEL diodes. This lecture highlights engineering considerations for reducing the combined optical and electrical losses in these devices that have led to highly efficient (>50%) operation. The efficiency improvement and associated developments are discussed in the context of the more general outlook for VCSELs and the push towards practical significance.

Speaker's Biography: Kevin Lear received his BSEE degree (1984) from the University of Colorado and MSEE (1985) and PhDEE (1990) degrees from Stanford University where he was an Office of Naval Research Fellow and his thesis topic was resonant tunneling diodes. He joined Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, New Mexico as a Senior member of Technical Staff in 1990. His primary research area at Sandia has been compound semiconductor optoelectronics with an emphasis on enhancing the performance of vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs). This has included work on integrating transistors and VCSELs for smart pixels, coherent laser arrays, VCSEL based optical interconnects, mirror grading designs and fabrication for improved electrical characteristics, the use of oxides for improved optical characteristics, and most recently investigating the high speed operation of VCSELs.

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