Checking Local Bonding in VCSEL Apertures

VCSELs, or vertical cavity surface emitting lasers, are an essential technology we rely on every day. They can be found in commonplace equipment such as your computer mouse and laser printer, to advanced sensors such as LIDAR or even data storage applications. Although they are increasingly common, their properties are highly tunable and require rigorous development to prepare a reliable and efficient product.

There are many key components of the VCSEL, but one challenging region is the oxide aperture. The oxide aperture is responsible for current confinement, and it is important to have high quality oxidation to prevent failure of the device. Although VCSELs can exhibit failure in many ways, it is important to characterize the failure and determine how it could be prevented in future products. EAG can help!