Vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser with enhanced transverse mode stability and polarization stable single mode output

A VCSEL comprising:

• a first reflector means and a second reflector means arranged to define a laser resonator extending along a longitudinal direction and along transverse directions, represented by a first transverse direction and a second transverse direction,
• a laser active region located between the first and the second reflector means,
• a metal layer (507) at one of the first and second reflector means, patterned to form a radiation emission window having a first lateral extension along the first transverse direction and a second lateral extension along the second transverse direction, the first lateral extension being different from the second lateral extension to cause a direction-dependent loss of a transverse radiation mode within the laser resonator;
• and
• a phase matching layer arranged in the laser resonator and having an optical thickness adapted to transversely pattern the reflectivity of at least one of the first and second reflector means to select the fundamental transverse radiation mode.

A VCSEL comprising:

• a first reflector and a second reflector arranged to define a laser resonator extending along a longitudinal direction and along transverse directions represented by a first transverse direction and a second transverse direction,
• a laser active region located between the first and second reflectors,
• a metal layer at one of the first and second reflectors, patterned to form a radiation emission window,
• a phase matching layer arranged in the laser resonator and having an optical thickness adapted to transversely pattern the reflectivity of at least one of the first and second reflectors to select the fundamental transverse radiation mode, and
• an aperture formed within the laser resonator, wherein a center of the aperture and a center of the radiation emission window are located on different longitudinal axes.

A VCSEL comprising:

• a first reflector and a second reflector, arranged to define a laser resonator extending along a longitudinal direction and along transverse directions,
• a laser active region located between the first and second reflectors,
• a metal layer at one of the first and second reflectors, patterned to form a radiation emission window,
• a phase matching layer arranged in the laser resonator and having an optical thickness adapted to transversely pattern the reflectivity of at least one of the first and second reflectors to select the fundamental transverse radiation mode, and
• a fine grid provided within the radiation emission window and having at least one of a first periodicity along a first transverse direction and a second periodicity along a second transverse direction, wherein the first periodicity is different from the second periodicity.