Development of InGaAsN-based 1.3 μm VCSELs

We review the status of InGaAsN-based vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) emitting in the wavelength range 1.2–1.3 μm and compare them with similar devices that have been realized using other approaches. To prove the potential of InGaAsN-based VCSELs, we present our results for monolithically MBE- and MOVPE-grown and electrically pumped VCSELs on GaAs substrates. Our MBE-grown devices emit at a wavelength of up to 1305 nm with cw output power at room temperature exceeding 1 mW and a threshold current of 2.2 mA. With an oxide-confined current aperture of about 5 μm diameter, they emit up to 700 μW in single-mode operation at room temperature. Bit-error rates of less than 10−11 are achieved for transmission over 20.5 km of standard single-mode fibre at 2.5 Gbit s−1. Our MOVPE-grown VCSELs with a similar device structure emit single mode at a wavelength of 1293 nm with a cw output power of 1.4 mW and a threshold current of 1.25 mA at room temperature. In back-to-back transmission, we reach a data rate of 10 Gbit s−1, proving the feasibility of high-speed data transmission using InGaAsN VCSELs.