U.S.-Germany Cooperative Research: Spatial and Polarization States in Vertical-Cavity Surface-Emitting Lasers and Their Control

University Of Arizona, Tucson AZ

Investigators

Abstract

0128975 Moloney This award supports Jerome Moloney and students from the University of Arizona in a collaboration with Wulfhard Lange of the Department of Applied Physics at the University of Muenster, Germany. The aim of the international project is to make a systematic study of the spatio-temporal dynamics of technologically vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VSCEL) devices. The effort will bring a leading experimental group in Germany together with the US group whose expertise is in modeling and simulation. The US group has established a unique capability to calculate from first principles the full many-body microscopic optical response of a great variety of semiconductor quantum well materials. These simulation tools will be extended to the study of VCSEL structures in order to investigate, among other phenomena, the role of oxidation layers and their geometry in controlling current spreading and diffractive spreading in very small and large aperture VCSELs. The international team makes a powerful joint theory and experimental program that will significantly impact a critical emerging technology sector. The work plan provides for extensive participation by graduate students in the international travel and research.