Optically-pumped multiple-quantum well active region with improved distribution of optical pumping power

1. An optically-pumped (OP) multiple quantum well (MQW) active region for use in an optical cavity of an optically-pumped vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (OP VCSEL) for generating laser light at a lasing wavelength, the OP VCSEL being adapted to receive pump light at a first end of the optical cavity, the active region comprising:

(a) a plurality of quantum well (QW) groups equally spaced within the active region to correspond in position with antinodes of a standing wave of the lasing wavelength laser radiation that exists in the optical cavity during operation of the OP VCSEL, the plurality of QW groups comprising a first QW group closest to the first end of the optical cavity and a last QW group farthest from the first end of the optical cavity;

(b) a plurality of equally thick intermediate absorbing layers disposed between adjacent QW groups of the plurality of QW groups;

(c) a last absorbing layer disposed adjacent to the side of the last QW group farthest from the first end of the optical cavity; and

(d) a first absorbing layer disposed adjacent to the side of the first QW group closest to the first end of the optical cavity, wherein the first absorbing layer has a thickness at least two times smaller than that of the intermediate absorbing layers.

2. The active region of claim 1 , wherein the first absorbing layer has a thickness at least four times smaller than that of the intermediate absorbing layers.

3. The active region of claim 1 , wherein the first absorbing layer has a thickness at least two times smaller than that of the intermediate absorbing layers and the last absorbing layer.

4. The active region of claim 1 , wherein:

each QW group comprises one or more InGaAsP QW layers; and

the intermediate, first, and last absorbing layers consist of InGaAsP.

5. The active region of claim 4 , wherein the absorbing layers consist of InGaAsP having a bandgap equal to the energy of photons of a wavelength of about 1.18 μm.

6. The active region of claim 4 , wherein the absorbing layers consist of In 0.82 Ga 0.19 As 0.395 P 0.605 and the QW layers consist of In 0.72 Ga 0.28 AsP.

7. The active region of claim 6 , wherein each QW layer is about 80 Å thick, each intermediate absorbing layer is about 2014 Å thick, the last absorbing layer is at least 2014 Å thick, and the first absorbing layer is no more than 422.3 Å thick.

8. The active region of claim 7 , wherein each QW group comprises a pair of In 0.72 Ga 0.28 AsP QW layers and an In 0.82 Ga 0.18 AsP barrier layer between the pair of QW layers, wherein each barrier layer is about 150 Å thick.

9. The active region of claim 8 , wherein the QW layers have a compressive strain of about 0.8% and the barrier layers have a tensile strain of about 0.5%.

10. The active region of claim 8 , wherein the lasing wavelength is about 1.55 μm.

11. The active region of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of QW groups comprises exactly four QW groups and the plurality of intermediate absorbing layers comprises exactly three intermediate absorbing layers.

12. The active region of claim 4 , wherein each QW layer is about 80 Å thick, each intermediate absorbing layer is about 2014 Å thick, the last absorbing layer is at least 2014 Å thick, and the first absorbing layer is no more than 422.3 Å thick.

13. The active region of claim 4 , wherein each QW group comprises a pair of InGaAsP QW layers and an InGaAsP barrier layer between the pair of QW layers.

14. The active region of claim 13 , wherein each QW layer is about 80 Å thick, each barrier layer is about 150 Å thick, each intermediate absorbing layer is about 2014 Å thick, the last absorbing layer is at least 2014 Å thick, and the first absorbing layer is no more than 422.3 Å thick.

15. The active region of claim 14 , wherein the lasing wavelength is about 1.55 μm.

16. The active region of claim 13 , wherein the QW layers have a compressive strain of about 0.8% and the barrier layers have a tensile strain of about 0.5%.

17. The active region of claim 1 , wherein the lasing wavelength is about 1.55 μm.

18. The active region of claim 17 , wherein the pump laser light has a wavelength of about 980 nm.

19. The active region of claim 17 , wherein the absorbing layers consist of InGaAsP having a bandgap equal to the energy of photons of a wavelength of about 1.18 μm.

20. The active region of claim 1 , wherein the pump laser light has a wavelength of about 980 nm.

21. The active region of claim 1 , each QW group comprises a pair of QW layers and a barrier layer between the pair of QW layers for a given QW group.

22. The active region of claim 21 , wherein:

the QW layers are InGaAsP QW layers each having a thickness of about 80 Å;

the barrier layers are InGaAsP barrier layers each having a thickness of about 150 Å;

the intermediate, first, and last absorbing layers consist of InGaAsP; and

each intermediate absorbing layer is about 2014 Å thick, the last absorbing layer is at least 2014 Å thick, and the first absorbing layer is no more than 422.3 Å thick.

23. The active region of claim 22 , wherein the plurality of QW groups comprises exactly four QW groups and the plurality of intermediate absorbing layers comprises exactly three intermediate absorbing layers.

24. The active region of claim 23 , wherein the QW layers have a compressive strain of about 0.8% and the barrier layers have a tensile strain of about 0.5%.

25. The active region of claim 22 , wherein the QW layers have a compressive strain of about 0.8% and the barrier layers have a tensile strain of about 0.5%.

26. The active region of claim 22 , wherein the lasing wavelength is about 1.55 μm.

27. The active region of claim 22 , wherein the absorbing layers consist of InGaAsP having a bandgap equal to the energy of photons of a wavelength of about 1.18 μm.

28. An optically-pumped vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (OP VCSEL) for generating laser light at a lasing wavelength, the VCSEL comprising:

(a) an optical cavity adapted to receive pump light at a first end thereof;

(b) an active region having a plurality of quantum well (QW) groups equally spaced within the active region to correspond in position with antinodes of a standing wave of the lasing wavelength laser radiation that exists in the optical cavity during operation of the OP VCSEL, the plurality of QW groups comprising a first QW group closest to the first end of the optical cavity and a last QW group farthest from the first end of the optical cavity;

(c) a plurality of equally thick intermediate absorbing layers disposed between adjacent QW groups of the plurality of QW groups;

(d) a last absorbing layer disposed adjacent to the side of the last QW group farthest from the first end of the optical cavity; and

(e) a first absorbing layer disposed adjacent to the side of the first QW group closest to the first end of the optical cavity, wherein the first absorbing layer has a thickness at least two times smaller than that of the intermediate absorbing layers.

29. The VCSEL of claim 28 , further comprising a bottom cavity mirror disposed on the side of the active region closest to the last absorbing layer and a top cavity mirror disposed on the side of the active region closest to the first absorbing layer.

30. The VCSEL of claim 28 , wherein the first absorbing layer has a thickness at least four times smaller than that of the intermediate absorbing layers.

31. The VCSEL of claim 28 , wherein the first absorbing layer has a thickness at least two times smaller than that of the intermediate absorbing layers and the last absorbing layer.

32. The VCSEL of claim 28 , wherein:

each QW group comprises one or more InGaAsP QW layers; and

the intermediate, first, and last absorbing layers consist of InGaAsP.

33. The VCSEL of claim 32 , wherein the absorbing layers consist of InGaAsP having a bandgap equal to the energy of photons of a wavelength of about 1.18 μm.

34. The VCSEL of claim 32 , wherein the absorbing layers consist of In 0.82 Ga 0.19 As 0.395 P 0.605 and the QW layers consist of In 0.72 Ga0.28AsP.

35. The VCSEL of claim 32 , wherein each QW layer is about 80 Å thick, each intermediate absorbing layer is about 2014 Å thick, the last absorbing layer is at least 2014 Å thick, and the first absorbing layer is no more than 422.3 Å thick.

36. The VCSEL of claim 35 , wherein each QW group comprises a pair of In 0.72 G 0.28 AsP QW layers and an In 0.82 Ga 0.18 AsP barrier layer between the pair of QW layers, wherein each barrier layer is about 150 Å thick.

37. The VCSEL of claim 36 , wherein the QW layers have a compressive strain of about 0.8% and the barrier layers have a tensile strain of about 0.5%.

38. The VCSEL of claim 36 , wherein the lasing wavelength is about 1.55 μm.

39. The VCSEL of claim 36 , wherein the plurality of QW groups comprises exactly four QW groups and the plurality of intermediate absorbing layers comprises exactly three intermediate absorbing layers.

40. The VCSEL of claim 32 , wherein each QW layer is about 80 Å thick, each intermediate absorbing layer is about 2014 Å thick, the last absorbing layer is at least 2014 Å thick, and the first absorbing layer is no more than 422.3 Å thick.

41. The VCSEL of claim 32 , wherein each QW group comprises a pair of InGaAsP QW layers and an InGaAsP barrier layer between the pair of QW layers.

42. The VCSEL of claim 41 , wherein the QW layers have a compressive strain of about 0.8% and the barrier layers have a tensile strain of about 0.5%.

43. The VCSEL of claim 28 , each QW group comprises a pair of QW layers and a barrier layer between the pair of QW layers for a given QW group.

44. The VCSEL of claim 43 , wherein:

the QW layers are InGaAsP QW layers each having a thickness of about 80 Å;

the barrier layers are InGaAsP barrier layers each having a thickness of about 150 Å;

the intermediate, first, and last absorbing layers consist of InGaAsP; and

each intermediate absorbing layer is about 2014 Å thick, the last absorbing layer is at least 2014 Å thick, and the first absorbing layer is no more than 422.3 Å thick.

45. The VCSEL of claim 44 , wherein the plurality of QW groups comprises exactly four QW groups and the plurality of intermediate absorbing layers comprises exactly three intermediate absorbing layers.

46. The VCSEL of claim 44 , wherein the QW layers have a compressive strain of about 0.8%, the barrier layers have a tensile strain of about 0.5% and the lasing wavelength is about 1.55 μm.