SBIR-STTR Award

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project proposes to use a novel design and fabrication approach that will bring Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Lasers (VCSELs) out of their current niche applications and will open the way to their widespread use where currently edge emitting lasers are utilized. These VCSELs can be designed over a broad range of wavelengths covering near-infrared and approaching mid infrared (800nm to 2,500nm). The narrow linewidth and stable linear polarization of these VCSELs make them suitable for use in spectroscopy, communications and solid state laser pumping. What makes this possible is substrate flexibility combined with a special High Contrast Grating (HCG) mirror used for single-mode linearly polarized output. High efficiency and high output power are achieved by very low electrical resistance and efficient heat sinking. The first prototype will have an emission wavelength of 1550nm with the goal of offering a more compact and lower cost alternative to DFB lasers in long-haul fiber optics. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project extends to the fields of fiber communication, spectroscopy, and high power solid state lasers. Next generation VCSELs to be developed in this project will have the single mode and narrow linewidth of a Distributed Feedback (DFB) laser and the beam quality and low cost of a VCSEL at any near infrared wavelength. Of particular interest in communication systems are the reduction of cost per bit, and power consumption per bit of transmitted data. Implementing the proposed VCSELs in fiber optic transceivers results in reduced cost and reduced power consumption over existing edge emitter based solutions. Reducing power consumption in turn leads to miniaturization and high density assembly, which further reduces the cost. Particularly challenging requirements for long wavelength VCSELs to meet are high optical output power and narrow linewidth. The proposed approach makes possible for these VCSELs to meet both of these requirements and to become an attractive candidate not only for fiber communications, but also for use as pump sources for high power solid state lasers. Furthermore, the lack of wavelength constraints makes these devices ideal as sources for overtone spectroscopy in the near infrared.

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase II project proposes to fabricate and commercialize Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Lasers (VCSELs) that are free from any wavelength limitations imposed by the choice of semiconductor substrate. These revolutionary VCSELs will operate in a single mode with high output power, narrow linewidth and a stable linear polarization for use in spectroscopy and communications. Using 2D photonic crystal structures and substrate-independent reflectors, it is possible to build efficient single mode VCSELs at any wavelength covering the near-infrared and approaching mid infrared (800nm to 2,500nm). High efficiency and high output power are achieved by very low electrical resistance and efficient heat sinking. The first prototype will have the ambitious goal of offering a preferred alternative to DFB lasers in long-haul fiber optic communications and near infrared spectroscopy.The broader impact/commercial potential of this project includes many societal, educational, scientific and commercial benefits. As a social benefit, the commercialization of this technology will enable faster and simpler air and water contamination measurements, and faster and lower-cost telecommunications. As an educational and scientific benefit, the next generation VCSEL development provides a robust and reliable method for fabricating 2D photonic crystals that are usable for optical signal processing and novel laser designs. Also, the resulting high-efficiency compact lasers with high mode quality can be used for pumping high power solid state lasers; and finally, the high speed versions of these advanced lasers can simplify data communication in fast computer systems used in scientific simulations. As a commercial impact, the additional functionalities of the next generation VCSELs will enable them to break out of their current niche datacom market into broader applications in communications and instrumentation. Their substrate independence will eventually make it possible to process them on silicon and other materials suitable for the final application. This will lead to a significant increase in demand for VCSELs due to the new markets that they will serve.