Temperature characteristics of all monolithically integrated self-scanning VCSEL array

Abstract

We demonstrated all-monolithically-integrated self-scanning vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) arrays whose emitters emit light individually. Each array needs only three to five bonding pads even when the number of VCSELs is over hundreds. Recently, an array with hundreds of VCSELs that lase individually is needed for some applications that do not require mechanical devices, such as MEMS and polygon mirrors. However, conventional VCSEL arrays need the same number of bonding pads, gold wires, substrate wirings, and IC driver terminals as emitters, thus taking up space and increasing application costs. We applied the self-scanning light emitting device (SLED) technology to the VCSEL array to reduce the number of bonding pads and other components mentioned above. In this paper, we discuss the temperature characteristics of the all-monolithically-integrated self-scanning VCSEL array. All layers in the epilayer structure of the array were formed at a time by MOCVD. The array consists of AlGaAs based thyristors and conventional 850 nm oxide-confined VCSELs on a p-type GaAs substrate. The array includes a transmission region, an emission region with 16 emitters, five bonding pads on the top side, and one anode electrode on the bottom of the substrate. Switching of the thyristor and lasing of the VCSEL were achieved up to 90°C. Self-scanning of the array was also possible at a temperature as high as 90°C. This is a key technology to dramatically reduce the size and cost of the chip itself and its applicable applications that require many emitters.