Vertical‐Cavity Silicon‐Integrated Laser with In‐Plane Waveguide Emission at 850 nm

Abstract A continuous‐wave electrically‐pumped short‐wavelength hybrid vertical‐cavity silicon‐integrated laser (VCSIL) with in‐plane emission into a silicon nitride (SiN) waveguide is experimentally demonstrated. The coupling from the vertical cavity into the in‐plane SiN waveguide is achieved by a weak grating on the SiN waveguide placed inside the cavity. The grating provides coupling, sets the polarization of the lasing output, and provides transverse mode control. A 5 µm oxide‐aperture diameter device with a threshold current of 1.1 mA produces 73 µW single‐sided waveguide‐coupled optical output power at 2.6 mA bias current at a wavelength of 856 nm and a side‐mode suppression ratio (SMSR) of 29 dB.