Modified distributed bragg reflector (DBR) for vertical cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) resonant wavelength tuning sensitivity control

A VCSEL comprising:

• (a) a first reflector comprising:
• (i) a plurality of mirror pairs each comprising a pair of layers of Al2O3 and Si, each layer of each mirror pair having an index of refraction different than that of the other layer of the respective mirror pair;
• and
• (ii) a tuning layer consisting of SiO2 disposed therein, the tuning layer having an index of refraction different from that of the layers of the mirror pairs of the first reflector, wherein the tuning layer is a single tuning layer disposed between two mirror pairs of the first reflector and having a thickness in the range of about 10 Å to 1000 Å;
• (b) a second reflector comprising a plurality of mirror pairs each comprising a pair of layers, each layer of each mirror pair having an index of refraction different than that of the other layer of the respective mirror pair;
• (c) an optical cavity defined by the first and second reflectors;
• and
• (d) an optical gain layer disposed in said optical cavity, between said first and second reflectors, the active region containing a material that is capable of stimulated emission at one or more wavelengths of light.

An optical device comprising:

• (a) a first reflector comprising:
• (i) a plurality of mirror pairs each comprising a pair of layers of Al2O3 and Si, each layer of each mirror pair having an index of refraction different than that of the other layer of the respective mirror pair, and
• (ii) a tuning layer consisting of SiO2 disposed therein, the tuning layer having an index of refraction different from that of the layers of the mirror pairs of the first reflector, wherein the tuning layer is a single tuning layer disposed between two mirror pairs of the first reflector and having a thickness in the range of about 10 Å to 1000 Å;
• (b) a second reflector;
• and
• (c) an optical cavity defined by the first and second reflectors.

A VCSEL comprising:

• (a) a first reflector comprising:
• (i) a plurality of mirror pairs each comprising a pair of layers of Al2O3 and Si, each layer of each mirror pair having an index of refraction different than that of the other layer of the respective mirror pair;
• and
• (ii) a tuning layer consisting of SiO2 disposed therein, the tuning layer having a thickness in the range of about 10 Å to 1000 Å and having an index of refraction different from that of the layers of the mirror pairs of the first reflector, wherein:
• the tuning layer is a single tuning layer disposed between two mirror pairs of the first reflector;
• the difference in refractive index for each mirror pair of the first reflector defines a refractive index contrast for the respective mirror pair;
• and
• the mirror pairs of the plurality of mirror pairs on one side of the tuning layer have a first refractive index contrast and the other mirror pairs of the plurality of mirror pairs have a second refractive index contrast different than the first refractive index contrast;
• (b) a second reflector comprising a plurality of mirror pairs each comprising a pair of layers, each layer of each mirror pair having an index of refraction different than that of the other layer of the respective mirror pair;
• and
• (c) an optical cavity defined by the first and second reflectors;
• and
• (d) an optical gain layer disposed in said optical cavity, between said first and second reflectors, the active region containing a material that is capable of stimulated emission at one or more wavelengths of light.

A VCSEL comprising:

• (a) a first reflector comprising:
• (i) a plurality of mirror pairs each comprising a pair of layers, each layer of each mirror pair having an index of refraction different than that of the other layer of the respective mirror pair;
• and
• (ii) a tuning layer disposed therein, the tuning layer having an index of refraction different from that of the layers of the mirror pairs of the first reflector, wherein:
• the tuning layer is a single tuning layer disposed between two mirror pairs of the first reflector,
• the difference in refractive index for each mirror pair of the first reflector defines a refractive index contrast for the respective mirror pair;
• the mirror pairs of the plurality of mirror pairs on one side of the tuning layer have a first refractive index contrast and the other mirror pairs of the plurality of mirror pairs have a second refractive index contrast different than the first refractive index contrast;
• and
• the mirror pairs on said one side of the tuning layer comprise pairs of Al2O3 and Si, the other mirror pairs comprise pairs of InGaAs and InAlAs, and the tuning layer consists of SiO2;
• (b) a second reflector comprising a plurality of mirror pairs each comprising a pair of layers, each layer of each mirror pair having an index of refraction different than that of the other layer of the respective mirror pair;
• and
• (c) an optical cavity defined by the first and second reflectors;
• and
• (d) an optical gain layer disposed in said optical cavity, between said first and second reflectors, the active region containing a material that is capable of stimulated emission at one or more wavelengths of light.