Phase and coherence extraction from a phased vertical cavity laser array

The relative coherence and phase are extracted from two-element, coherently coupled, vertical cavity surface emitting laser arrays. The array elements are defined optically by a photonic crystal pattern and electrically by ion implantation. We obtain the near and far fields experimentally under varying current injection. The Fraunhofer approximation is used to simulate propagation from the near to far field. The phase and coherence are extracted as fitting parameters to match the experimental and propagated far field patterns. The phase and coherence will aid in future array designs and in elucidating the phase-shifting mechanism. (C) 2012 American Institute of Physics. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4736406]