High speed performance of 2-D vertical-cavity laser diode arrays

Abstract
We have fabricated and tested 10/spl times/10 independently addressable vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser diode arrays. Arrays with 55 /spl mu/m active diameter devices show an average threshold current density of 590 A/cm/sup 2/ and an excellent homogeneity of the output characteristics over the full array size with maximum CW output powers of 12 mW. Broad area laser diodes with active diameters of 75 /spl mu/m reach output powers of 18 mW for CW operation and 180 mW under pulsed conditions. Small-signal modulation bandwidths are beyond 10 and 8 GHz for the 55 and 75 /spl mu/m devices, respectively.