Tunable semiconductor vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser with an intracavity liquid crystal layer

A tunable vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser is fabricated where tunability is achieved with an intracavity layer of nematic liquid crystal and gain is provided by a semiconductor quantum well structure. The anisotropic liquid crystal layer enables a continuously tunable single-mode emission along the extraordinary axis of the layer. Polarization control is achieved when the layer thickness is such that the ordinary modes are out of the spectral gain region. Laser emission in the 1.5μm telecom wavelength range is demonstrated under optical pumping with a tuning range of more than 30 nm for an applied voltage of less than 3 V.