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InGaAs-on-silicon photodetectors are very attractive in a variety of low noise and high-speed applications where the superior thermal and electrical properties of Si can be exploited to overcome the limitations of existing detectors. InGaAs-on-silicon p-i-n devices can potentially have a much higher dynamic range than InP-based devices. The low excess noise of InGaAs-on-silicon avalanche photodiodes (APD) has a direct impact on receiver sensitivity and the high gain-bandwidth product is of particular interest in high-speed (10 Gb/s and above) systems.

Diffractive optical elements etched at the semiconductor/air interface of surface emitting lasers allow for advanced beam shaping with near diffraction limited performance. The large emission window, possible with surface emitting geometries, provides for high resolution imaging.

We have demonstrated a surface-emitting hyperbolic unstable-resonator laser with an integrated spot-array grating-outcoupler. The generated image shows almost negligible beam steering and spot size variation up to twice the threshold current.

Here we compare the performance of InGaAs SQW tapered unstable resonator lasers (TURL) with linear-shaped-taper with lasers that have a trumpet-shaped-taper that follows the shape of the optical mode as it expands while propagating in the laser resonator. The laser resonator is defined by two first-order feedback gratings and is completely separated from the grating outcoupler.