Performance of 980 nm VCSELs with two types of High-Contrast-Gratings

High Contrast Gratings (HCG) have become a hot research topic, because of their new functionalities at very small volumes [1]. However no efficient 3D VCSEL model capable to account for HCG has been reported to date. HCG design is therefore mainly based on 1D simulations. For more realistic simulations only FDTD has been used so far, which is well known to be computationally very demanding and therefore not usable as a design tool. The VELM code has now been upgraded to rigorously handle HCG layers [2] and improved so as to include also higher order spatial harmonics. In this way one can safely model also structures where those are propagating inside the resonator. The efficiency of the tool is preserved, and an entire set of HCG VCSEL modes can be computed in minutes on an ordinary desktop.