title: Vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser with liquid crystal overlay.
abstract: We perform a theoretical study of the spectral and polarization threshold characteristics of Vertical-Cavity Surface-Emitting Lasers with Liquid Crystal overlay (LC-VCSEL) in three different configurations of the LC cell. Our model predicts the possibility of selecting between two orthogonal directions of linear polarization (LP) of the fundamental mode (x or y LP) by choosing appropriate LC length. It further predicts very strong polarization discrimination with LP mode threshold gain difference as large as several times the threshold gain of the lasing mode. We also numerically demonstrate an active control of light polarization by electro-optically tuning the LC director and show that either polarization switching between x and y LP modes or continuous change of the LP direction would be possible. Finally, we numerically demonstrate that LC-VCSEL would be capable of efficient wavelength tuning.
authors.affiliation: Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Faculty of Engineering Sciences, Brussels Photonics Team B-PHOT, Brussels, Belgium. kpanajot@b-phot.org
authors.forename: Krassimir
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Panajotov
authors.forename: Hugo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Thienpont