Abstract

Photonic lattices in the optical wavelength regime can be experimentally realized by periodically modulating the reflectivity of the top mirror of a broad area vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) structure. Each lattice element is represented by a lasing pixel whose cavity is defined by locally enhancing the mirror reflectivity using, e.g., etching [1] or metal layer deposition [2], The sizes of such mirror elements are of the order of a few μm. Diffraction at the mirror edges then leads to an overlap of the electromagnetic fields of adjacent lasers. Due to this coupling among the array elements, a band of array "supermodes" is formed.

© 1996 Optical Society of America