EMITTER ARRAY WITH SHARED VIA TO AN OHMIC METAL SHARED BETWEEN ADJACENT EMITTERS

1 . A space-conserving vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) array, comprising:

a plurality of VCSELs including two adjacent VCSELs;

a metallization layer; and

an ohmic metal layer associated with the plurality of VCSELs,

wherein a portion of the ohmic metal layer is shared by the two adjacent VCSELs,

wherein a first radial distance from each of the two adjacent VCSELs to the portion of the ohmic metal layer is less than a second radial distance from each of the two adjacent VCSELs to a trench shared by the two adjacent VCSELs, and

wherein a difference between an optical aperture diameter of at least one of the two adjacent VCSELs and a pitch distance between the two adjacent VCSELs is reduced, relative to emitter arrays without the portion of the ohmic metal layer.

2 . The VCSEL array of claim 1 , wherein the difference between the optical aperture diameter and the pitch distance is less than 9 microns.

3 . The VCSEL array of claim 1 , wherein the optical aperture diameter is between 4 microns and 20 microns.

4 . The VCSEL array of claim 1 , wherein the pitch distance is between 16 microns and 20 microns.

5 . The VCSEL array of claim 1 , wherein a via to the portion of the ohmic metal layer is shared by the two adjacent VCSELs.

6 . The VCSEL array of claim 5 , wherein the via electrically connects the metallization layer to the ohmic metal layer.

7 . The VCSEL array of claim 1 , wherein the ohmic metal layer comprises a plurality of separate ohmic metal portions that surround at least one of the plurality of VCSELs.

8 . A high-density vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) array, comprising:

a plurality of VCSELs including two adjacent VCSELs;

a metallization layer; and

an ohmic metal layer associated with the plurality of VCSELs,

wherein a portion of the ohmic metal layer is shared by the two adjacent VCSELs,

wherein a first radial distance from each of the two adjacent VCSELs to the portion of the ohmic metal layer is less than a second radial distance from each of the two adjacent VCSELs to a trench shared by the two adjacent VCSELs, and

wherein a ratio of an optical aperture diameter of one of the two adjacent VCSELs to a pitch distance between the two adjacent VCSELs enables the plurality of VCSELs to be arranged at a higher density than emitter arrays without the portion of the ohmic metal layer.

9 . The VCSEL array of claim 8 , wherein the ratio of the optical aperture diameter and the pitch distance is greater than 11:20.

10 . The VCSEL array of claim 8 , wherein the optical aperture diameter is between 4 microns and 20 microns.

11 . The VCSEL array of claim 8 , wherein the pitch distance is between 16 microns and 20 microns.

12 . The VCSEL array of claim 8 , wherein the ohmic metal layer comprises a plurality of separate ohmic metal portions that surround at least one of the plurality of VCSELs.

13 . The VCSEL array of claim 8 , wherein a via to the portion of the ohmic metal layer is shared by the two adjacent VCSELs.

14 . The VCSEL array of claim 13 , wherein the via electrically connects the metallization layer to the ohmic metal layer.

15 . A space-conserving emitter array, comprising:

a plurality of emitters including two adjacent emitters;

a metallization layer; and

an ohmic metal layer associated with the plurality of emitters,

wherein a portion of the ohmic metal layer is shared by the two adjacent emitters,

wherein a trench is shared by the two adjacent emitters, and

wherein a difference between an optical aperture diameter of at least one of the two adjacent emitters and a pitch distance between the two adjacent emitters is reduced, relative to emitter arrays without the portion of the ohmic metal layer.

16 . The emitter array of claim 15 , wherein the difference between the optical aperture diameter and the pitch distance is less than 9 microns.

17 . The emitter array of claim 15 , wherein the optical aperture diameter is between 4 microns and 20 microns.

18 . The emitter array of claim 15 , wherein the pitch distance is between 16 microns and 20 microns.

19 . The emitter array of claim 15 , wherein a via to the portion of the ohmic metal layer is shared by the two adjacent emitters.

20 . The emitter array of claim 15 , wherein the ohmic metal layer comprises a plurality of separate ohmic metal portions that surround at least one of the plurality of emitters.