Method and structure for eliminating polarization instability in laterally-oxidized VCSELs

A vertical-cavity surface emitting laser device for producing polarized light comprising:

• a substrate;
• a plurality of semiconductor layers formed on a surface of said substrate;
• one of said semiconductor layers comprising an active layer having an active region therein;
• a first reflector located on one side of said active layer and a second reflector located on the opposite side of said active layer, at least one of said reflectors allowing partial transmission of light therethrough;
• one of said semiconductor layers being a current controlling layer having a first axis substantially orthogonal to a second axis in a plane substantially parallel to said surface of said substrate, said current controlling layer being penetrated by a plurality of non-conducting cavities;
• an asymmetric aperture region in said current controlling layer which controls current flowing through said active region, said asymmetric aperture region being defined by a conductive region in said current controlling layer bordered by non-conductive regions in said current controlling layer such that a first dimension of said conductive region along said first axis is less than a second dimension of said conductive region along said second axis to produce light polarized in a preferred direction, and wherein each of said non-conductive regions surrounds at least one of said plurality of non-conducting cavities;
• and
• first and second electrodes located on said laser device to enable biasing of said active region.