High quality GaAs/InGaAs/AlGaAs vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers grown at a constant temperature by molecular beam epitaxy

Low threshold current GaAs/InGaAs vertical cavity surface emitting lasers could be successfully grown by molecular beam epitaxy at an fixed substrate temperature of 560 degrees C which is compromised for InGaAs and AlGaAs materials. The thickness of each pair of layers in the device structures could be easily controlled using an infrared pyrometer system. The lasers with a three quantum well active region grown under such conditions show a threshold current density of 310 A cm(-2) and a maximum output power of 0.8 mW from a 15x15 mu m(2) device at room temperature continuous wave operation.