Novel Electrically Pumped VECSEL

This invention is a high-power, tunable, electrically pumped VECSEL.  By use of a novel pumping geometry, the electrically pumped VECSEL is able to attain high output powers with greater efficiency.

Background:
A vertical-external-cavity surface-emitting-laser (VECSEL) is a small semiconductor laser not dissimilar to the vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL), which is a type of semiconductor laser diode with laser beam emission perpendicular from the top surface. VECSELs are primarily used in near infrared devices for spectroscopy, laser cooling, and telecommunications. Conventional electrical pumping schemes for VECSELs inject the electric current into the perpendicular laser path.

Applications:

• Higher power output
• Industrial lasers

Advantages:

• Higher power output
• Greater efficiency