6.2.4.2024 Develop Automated Oxide-Aperture Size Measurement for GaAs VCSELs

8.2.4.2024 Thermal Stability Enhancement of P-Metals Ohmic Contact in Oxide-VCSELs

6B.4 Final.2025

ABSTRACT
In this work, we report the development of a high-precision fabrication process for microcavity VCSELs operating at cryogenic temperatures with oxide-aperture sizes below 3 μm. To address the critical challenge of controlling oxide-aperture size during wet oxidation, a novel hybrid etch mask combining SiNx and PR was introduced, enabling vertical mesa sidewall profiles with improved reliability and process uniformity. This approach enhances the accuracy of oxide formation, crucial for scaling down VCSEL apertures while maintaining thermal and optical performance. The fabricated Cryo-VCSEL with 1.7 m aperture demonstrates exceptional output power of 3.93 mW and modulation bandwidth exceeding 50 GHz at 2.9 K, with successful PAM-4 data transmission at 112 Gbps. The process yields minimal aperture variation (~ 0.5 μm IQR) across samples, ensuring suitability for parameter extraction and VCSEL array integration. These advancements establish a scalable fabrication platform for high-speed, cryogenic VCSELs, supporting future optical interconnects in quantum computing systems.