Hybrid vertical-cavity laser with lateral emission into a silicon waveguide

TL;DR

This paper reports the experimental realization of a hybrid III-V/Si vertical-cavity laser with lateral emission into a silicon waveguide, combining advantages of VCSELs with silicon photonics integration.

Contribution

It introduces a CMOS-compatible, on-chip hybrid laser with lateral emission, enabling high-speed operation and novel transverse mode control.

Findings

Demonstrated a low-threshold, high side-mode suppression ratio laser

Achieved lateral emission into silicon waveguide with integrated structure

Potential for ultrahigh-speed operation beyond 100 Gbit/s

Abstract

We experimentally demonstrate an optically-pumped III-V/Si vertical-cavity laser with lateral emission into a silicon waveguide. This on-chip hybrid laser comprises a distributed Bragg reflector, a III-V active layer, and a high-contrast grating reflector, which simultaneously funnels light into the waveguide integrated with the laser. This laser has the advantages of long-wavelength vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers, such as low threshold and high side-mode suppression ratio, while allowing integration with silicon photonic circuits, and is fabricated using CMOS-compatible processes. It has the potential for ultrahigh-speed operation beyond 100 Gbit/s and features a novel mechanism for transverse mode control.