Polarization control of vertical diode lasers by monolithically integrated surface grating

1. A laser, comprising:

a substrate;

a first Bragg reflector layer sequence on said substrate;

an active layer sequence on said first Bragg reflector layer sequence;

a second Bragg reflector layer sequence on said active layer sequence; and

a voltage source for applying a voltage via said active layer sequence to generate a beam of laser radiation,

wherein at least one of said first Bragg reflector layer sequence, said active layer sequence or said second Bragg reflector layer sequence includes a layer having a periodic pattern positioned in a direction of said beam to stabilize a polarization of said beam,

wherein said laser radiation has a wavelength of about 850 nanometers, and

wherein said periodic pattern has a period of between about 0.7 micrometers, and a thickness of between about 40 nanometer and about 70 nanometers.

2. The laser of claim 1 ,

wherein said first and second Bragg reflector layer sequences each include a plurality of layers of a material having a first refractive index, in alteration with a plurality of layers of a material having a second refractive index, and

wherein said first refractive index is higher than said second refractive index.

3. The laser of claim 2 , wherein said second Bragg reflector layer sequence has a further layer.

4. The laser of claim 3 , wherein said further layer is a topmost layer of said second Bragg reflector layer sequence.

5. The laser of claim 1 , wherein said periodic pattern comprises a grating.

6. The laser of claim 1 , wherein said layer having said periodic pattern comprises a patterned surface.

7. The laser of claim 1 , wherein said periodic pattern comprises a cutout in a topmost layer of said second Bragg reflector layer sequence.

8. The laser of claim 7 , wherein said cutout has a depth of between about 10 nanometers and about 150 nanometers.

9. The laser of claim 7 , wherein said cutout has a depth of between about 40 nanometers and about 90 nanometers.

10. The laser of claim 1 ,

wherein said periodic pattern is formed by an elevation applied to a topmost layer of said second Bragg reflector layer sequence, and

wherein said topmost layer of said second Bragg reflector layer sequence is thinned.

11. The laser of claim 10 , wherein said topmost layer of said second Bragg reflector layer sequence is thinned to a thickness of between about 10 nanometers and about 150 nanometers.

12. The laser of claim 10 , wherein said topmost layer of said second Bragg reflector layer sequence is thinned to a thickness of between about 40 nanometers and about 90 nanometers.

13. The laser of claim 1 , wherein at least one of said first Bragg reflector layer sequence, said active layer sequence or said second Bragg reflector layer sequence includes a layer having a further patterning so that power of a mode of said laser is amplified.

14. The laser of claim 13 , wherein said second Bragg reflector layer sequence has a topmost layer that has a cutout in a form of an annulus situated centrally with respect to an exit area of said laser radiation so that a fundamental mode of said laser is amplified.

15. The laser of claim 13 , wherein said second Bragg reflector layer sequence has a further patterned layer having a circular cutout centrally situated with respect to an exit area of said laser radiation so that a fundamental mode of said laser is amplified.

16. A method of producing a laser, comprising:

applying a first Bragg reflector layer sequence to a substrate;

applying an active layer sequence to said first Bragg reflector layer sequence;

applying a second Bragg reflector layer sequence to said active layer sequence; and

providing a voltage source for applying a voltage via said active layer sequence to generate a beam of laser radiation;

wherein at least one of said first Bragg reflector layer sequence, said active layer sequence or said second Bragg reflector layer sequence includes a layer having a periodic pattern positioned in a direction of said beam to stabilize a polarization of said beam,

wherein said laser radiation has a wavelength of about 850 nanometers, and

wherein said periodic pattern has a period of about 0.7 micrometers and a thickness of between about 40 nanometers and about 70 nanometers.

17. The method of claim 16 ,

wherein said first and second Bragg reflector layer sequences each include a plurality of layers of a material having a first refractive index, in alteration with a plurality of layers of a material having a second refractive index, and

wherein said first refractive index is higher than said second refractive index.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein said second Bragg reflector layer sequence has a further layer.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein said further layer is a topmost layer of said second Bragg reflector layer sequence.

20. The method of claim 16 , wherein said layer having said periodic pattern comprises a grating structure.

21. The method of claim 16 , wherein said layer having said periodic pattern comprises a patterned surface.

22. The method of claim 16 , wherein said layer having a periodic pattern is provided by an etching technique selected from the group consisting of dry-chemical etching, wet-chemical etching, physical etching, and any combination thereof.

23. The method of claim 22 , wherein said etching technique comprises etching a trench into a topmost layer of said second Bragg reflector layer sequence.

24. The method of claim 23 , wherein said trench has a depth of between about 10 nanometers and about 150 nanometers.

25. The method of claim 23 , wherein said trench has a depth of between about 40 nanometers and about 90 nanometers.

26. The method of claim 16 , wherein said layer having a periodic pattern is provided by depositing a material selected from the group consisting of a dielectric, a metal, and a combination thereof.

27. The method of claim 26 , wherein said material is deposited on a topmost layer of said second Bragg reflector layer sequence.

28. The method of claim 27 , wherein said topmost layer of said second Bragg reflector layer sequence is thinned to a height of between about 10 nanometers and about 150 nanometers.

29. The method of claim 27 , wherein said topmost layer of said second Bragg reflector layer sequence is thinned to a height of between about 40 nanometers and about 90 nanometers.

30. The method of claim 16 , wherein at least one of said first Bragg reflector layer sequence, said active layer sequence or said second Bragg reflector layer sequence includes a layer having a further patterning so that power of a mode of said laser is amplified.

31. The method of claim 30 , further comprising etching a cutout having a cross section in a form of an annulus into a topmost layer of said second Bragg reflector layer sequence, so that a circular elevation is formed centrally with respect to a exit area of said laser radiation, so that power of a fundamental mode of said laser is amplified.

32. The method of claim 30 , comprising:

applying a further layer on said second Bragg reflector layer sequence; and

etching a cutout having a circular cross section into said further layer, so that an elevation in a form of an annulus is formed centrally with respect to an exit area of said laser radiation, so that power of a fundamental mode of said laser is amplified.

33. A system for optical data transmission, comprising a laser having:

a substrate

a first Bragg reflector layer sequence on said substrate;

an active layer sequence on said first Bragg reflector layer sequence;

a second Bragg reflector layer sequence on said active layer sequence; and

a voltage source for applying a voltage via said active layer sequence to generate a beam of laser radiation,

wherein at least one of said first Bragg reflector layer sequence, said active layer sequence or said second Bragg reflector layer sequence includes a layer having a periodic pattern positioned in a direction of said beam to stabilize a polarization of said beam,

wherein said laser radiation has a wavelength of about 850 nanometers, and

wherein said periodic pattern has a period of between about 0.7 micrometers, and a

thickness of between about 40 nanometers and about 70 nanometers.

34. A spectroscopic system, comprising a laser having:

a substrate;

a first Bragg reflector layer sequence on said substrate;

an active layer sequence on said first Bragg reflector layer sequence;

a second Bragg reflector layer sequence on said active layer sequence; and

a voltage source for applying a voltage via said active layer sequence to generate a beam of laser radiation,

wherein at least one of said first Bragg reflector layer sequence, said active layer sequence or said second Bragg reflector layer sequence includes a layer having a periodic pattern positioned in a direction of said beam to stabilize a polarization of said beam,

wherein said laser radiation has a wavelength of about 850 nanometers, and

wherein said periodic pattern has a period of between about 0.7 micrometers, and a thickness of between about 40 nanometers and about 70 nanometers.

35. A system for a measurement of a spectroscopic line, comprising a laser having:

a substrate;

a first Bragg reflector layer sequence on said substrate;

an active layer sequence on said first Bragg reflector layer sequence;

a second Bragg reflector layer sequence on said active layer sequence; and

a voltage source for applying a voltage via said active layer sequence to generate a beam of laser radiation,

wherein at least one of said first Bragg reflector layer sequence, said active layer sequence or said second Bragg reflector layer sequence includes a layer having a periodic pattern positioned in a direction of said beam to stabilize a polarization of said beam,

wherein said laser radiation has a wavelength of about 850 nanometers, and

wherein said periodic pattern has a period of between about 0.7 micrometers, and a thickness of between about 40 nanometers and about 70 nanometers.