Optical characteristics of multi-transverse mode two dimensional vertical cavity top surface emitting laser arrays

Abstract

We report the occurrence of higher-order transverse modes lasing in the individual elements of a two dimensional VCSEL array. Each of these modes couples coherently to form very distinct supermodes. In addition, very interesting polarization properties are observed. The TEM 0,1 mode is horizontally polarized along the [Oll] crystalline axis while all other modes are dominantly vertically polarized along the [011] axis.