Monitoring of VCSEL output power with photodiodes

A method of fabricating apparatus for monitoring the power radiated by a plurality of VCSELs in an array, said method comprising the steps of:

• forming a submount from a photoconductive material;
• forming at least one photodiode in the submount;
• forming a plurality of VCSELs in an array on a wafer;
• forming at least one power monitoring VCSEL on a flip-chip on the same wafer;
• separating the VCSEL array and the power monitoring VCSEL flip-chip as separate components from said wafer;
• attaching the plurality of VCSELs formed in the array to the submount;
• mounting said at least one power monitoring VCSEL flip-chip onto the submount such that the power monitoring VCSEL on said at least one flip-chip is generally in alignment with said at least one photodiode to receive illumination from the power monitoring VCSEL on said at least one flip-chip;
• and
• providing at least one electrical signal from the power monitoring VCSEL on said at least on flip-chip that is representative of the optical power emitted by the plurality of VCSELs formed in the array.

A method of fabricating apparatus for monitoring the power radiated by a plurality of VCSELs in an array, said method comprising the steps of:

• forming a submount from a photo conductive material;
• forming at least one photodiode in the submount;
• forming a plurality of VCSELs in an array on a wafer;
• forming at least one power monitoring VCSEL on a flip-chip;
• attaching the plurality of VCSELs formed in the array to the submount;
• mounting said at least one power monitoring VCSEL flip-chip onto the submount such that the power monitoring VCSEL on said at least one flip-chip is generally in alignment with said at least one photodiode to receive illumination from the power monitoring VCSEL on said at least one flip-chip;
• and
• providing at least one electrical signal from the power monitoring VCSEL on said at least on flip-chip that is representative of the optical power emitted by the plurality of VCSELs formed in the array.