Electro-optic birefringence in semiconductor vertical-cavity lasers

Birefringence induced by the electro-optic effect is demonstrated in vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSEL). This is done by comparing two types of optically pumped VCSELs: VCSELs with standard pin-doping and VCSELs with symmetrical pip-doping. The observed birefringence in these VCSELs differs by an order of magnitude, a difference that we ascribe to the presence and absence, respectively, of electro-optic birefringence.