A vcsel with self-aligned microlens to improve beam divergence

An integrated chip structure, comprising:

• a bottom electrode structure disposed over a substrate;
• a first conductive layer arranged on the bottom electrode structure;
• a reflector stack disposed on the first conductive layer and comprising a plurality of first reflector layers vertically interleaved with a plurality of second reflector layers, wherein the reflector stack laterally extends past opposing edges of a bottommost surface of the bottom electrode structure, and wherein the plurality of first reflector layers and the plurality of second reflector layers comprise different materials;
• and
• a lens stack disposed over the reflector stack and comprising a plurality of lens layers vertically interleaved with a plurality of additional reflector layers, wherein peripheral portions of the plurality of lens layers comprise an oxide that increases in width as a distance over the reflector stack increases.

An integrated chip structure, comprising:

• a reflector stack comprising:
• a plurality of first reflector layers having a first material vertically interleaved with a plurality of second reflector layers having a second material different from the first material;
• a focusing layer laterally surrounding an optical aperture;
• and
• an active layer vertically separated from the focusing layer by one or more of the first reflector layers and the second reflector layers, the active layer laterally extending past opposing outermost edges of the optical aperture;
• a lens stack disposed over the reflector stack and comprising a plurality of lens layers vertically interleaved with a plurality of additional reflector layers, wherein the plurality of lens layers comprise oxide segments surrounding a central lens region, the oxide segments having widths that increase as a distance over the reflector stack increases;
• and
• wherein the central lens region laterally extends past the opposing outermost edges of the optical aperture.