Broad-area vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (BA-VCSELs) can exhibit a state of spatially incoherent emission, as we recently reported in [M. Peeters et al., Opt. Express, 13, 9337 (2005)]. Here, we experimentally study the evolution of a BA-VCSEL under pulsed operation from well-defined modal emission with a multitude of transverse cavity modes to such spatially incoherent emission. The transition is studied using a high-speed intensified CCD camera and differential image analysis with which single-shot measurements of the imaged nearfield, farfield, spatial coherence, and spectral emission properties are acquired. This combination of experimental characterization tools allows for a detailed description of the BA-VCSEL’s emission behavior, which is necessary for an in-depth understanding of the processes involved. We find the interplay between the thermal chirp and the build-up of a spatially distributed thermal lens to be decisive for the break-up of the global cavity modes.

© 2008 Optical Society of America

1. A. Haglund, J. S. Gustavsson, J. Vukusic, P. Modh, and A. Larsson, "Single Fundamental-Mode Output Power Exceeding 6 mW From VCSELs With a Shallow Surface Relief," IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett. 16, 368-370 (2004). [CrossRef]
2. C. J. Chang-Hasnain, M. Orenstein, A. Von Lehmen, L. T. Florez, J. P. Harbison, and N. G. Stoffel, "Transverse mode characteristics of vertical cavity surface-emitting lasers," Appl. Phys. Lett. 57, 218-220 (1990). [CrossRef]
3. C. Degen, I. Fischer, and W. Elsaßer, "Transverse modes in oxide confined VCSELs: influence of pump profile, spatial hole burning, and thermal effects," Opt. Express 5, 38-47 (1999). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
4. A. Valle, J. Sarma, and K. A. Shore, "Dynamics of transverse mode competition in vertical cavity surface emitting laser diodes," Opt. Commun. 115, 297-302 (1995). [CrossRef]
5. M. Giudici, J. R. Tredicce, G. Vaschenko, J. J. Rocca, and C. S. Menoni, "Spatio-temporal dynamics in vertical cavity surface emitting lasers excited by fast electrical pulses," Opt. Commun. 158, 313-321 (1998). [CrossRef]
6. J. Mulet and S. Balle, "Transverse mode dynamics in vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers: spatiotemporal versus modal expansion descriptions," Phys. Rev. A 66,053 802 (2002). [CrossRef]
7. A. Barchanski, T. Gensty, C. Degen, I. Fischer, and Elsäßer, "Picosecond emission dynamics of vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers: spatial, spectral, and polarization-resolved characterization," IEEE J. Quantum Electron. 39, 850-858 (2003). [CrossRef]
8. K. Becker, I. Fischer, and W. Elsäßer, "Spatio-temporal emission dynamics of VCSELs: modal competition in the turn-on behavior," in Proceedings of SPIE, D. Lenstra, G. Morthier, T. Erneux, and M. Pessa, eds., 5452, 452 (2004).
9. P. Debernardi, G. P. Bava, C. Degen, I. Fischer, and Elsäßer, "Influence of anisotropies on transverse modes in oxide-confined VCSELs," IEEE J. Quantum Electron. 38, 73-84 (2002). [CrossRef]
10. M. Peeters, G. Verschaffelt, H. Thienpont, S. K. Mandre, I. Fischer, and M. Grabherr, "Spatial decoherence of pulsed broad-area vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers," Opt. Express 13, 9337-9345 (2005). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
11. F. Zernike, "The concept of degree of coherence and its application to optical problems," Physica 5, 785-795 (1938). [CrossRef]
12. A. C. Schell, "A technique for the determination of the radiation pattern of a partially coherent aperture," IEEE Trans. Antennas Propag. AP-15, 187-188 (1967). [CrossRef]
13. E. Collett and E. Wolf, "Is complete spatial coherence necessary for the generation of highly directional light beams," Opt. Lett. 2, 27-29 (1978). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
14. L. Mandel and E. Wolf, Optical Coherence and Quantum Optics (Cambridge Univ. Pr., 1995).
15. S. K. Mandre, W. Elsaßer, I. Fischer, M. Peeters, and G. Verschaffelt, "Determining the temporally and radially resolved temperature distribution inside a pulsed broad-area vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser cavity," Appl. Phys. Lett.  89, 151 106 (2006). [CrossRef]
16. L. Wang and Q. Lin, "The evolutions of the spectrum and spatial coherence of laser radiation in resonators with hard apertures and phase modulation," IEEE J. Quantum Electron. 39, 749-758 (2003). [CrossRef]

Appl. Phys. Lett.

• C. J. Chang-Hasnain, M. Orenstein, A. Von Lehmen, L. T. Florez, J. P. Harbison, and N. G. Stoffel, "Transverse mode characteristics of vertical cavity surface-emitting lasers," Appl. Phys. Lett. 57, 218-220 (1990). [CrossRef]

IEEE J. Quantum Electron.

• A. Barchanski, T. Gensty, C. Degen, I. Fischer, and Elsäßer, "Picosecond emission dynamics of vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers: spatial, spectral, and polarization-resolved characterization," IEEE J. Quantum Electron. 39, 850-858 (2003). [CrossRef]
• P. Debernardi, G. P. Bava, C. Degen, I. Fischer, and Elsäßer, "Influence of anisotropies on transverse modes in oxide-confined VCSELs," IEEE J. Quantum Electron. 38, 73-84 (2002). [CrossRef]
• L. Wang and Q. Lin, "The evolutions of the spectrum and spatial coherence of laser radiation in resonators with hard apertures and phase modulation," IEEE J. Quantum Electron. 39, 749-758 (2003). [CrossRef]

IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett.

• A. Haglund, J. S. Gustavsson, J. Vukusic, P. Modh, and A. Larsson, "Single Fundamental-Mode Output Power Exceeding 6 mW From VCSELs With a Shallow Surface Relief," IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett. 16, 368-370 (2004). [CrossRef]

IEEE Trans. Antennas Propag.

• A. C. Schell, "A technique for the determination of the radiation pattern of a partially coherent aperture," IEEE Trans. Antennas Propag. AP-15, 187-188 (1967). [CrossRef]

Opt. Commun.

• A. Valle, J. Sarma, and K. A. Shore, "Dynamics of transverse mode competition in vertical cavity surface emitting laser diodes," Opt. Commun. 115, 297-302 (1995). [CrossRef]
• M. Giudici, J. R. Tredicce, G. Vaschenko, J. J. Rocca, and C. S. Menoni, "Spatio-temporal dynamics in vertical cavity surface emitting lasers excited by fast electrical pulses," Opt. Commun. 158, 313-321 (1998). [CrossRef]

Opt. Express

• C. Degen, I. Fischer, and W. Elsaßer, "Transverse modes in oxide confined VCSELs: influence of pump profile, spatial hole burning, and thermal effects," Opt. Express 5, 38-47 (1999). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• M. Peeters, G. Verschaffelt, H. Thienpont, S. K. Mandre, I. Fischer, and M. Grabherr, "Spatial decoherence of pulsed broad-area vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers," Opt. Express 13, 9337-9345 (2005). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Opt. Lett.

• E. Collett and E. Wolf, "Is complete spatial coherence necessary for the generation of highly directional light beams," Opt. Lett. 2, 27-29 (1978). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Physica

• F. Zernike, "The concept of degree of coherence and its application to optical problems," Physica 5, 785-795 (1938). [CrossRef]

Other

• K. Becker, I. Fischer, and W. Elsäßer, "Spatio-temporal emission dynamics of VCSELs: modal competition in the turn-on behavior," in Proceedings of SPIE, D. Lenstra, G. Morthier, T. Erneux, and M. Pessa, eds., 5452, 452 (2004).
• J. Mulet and S. Balle, "Transverse mode dynamics in vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers: spatiotemporal versus modal expansion descriptions," Phys. Rev. A 66,053 802 (2002). [CrossRef]
• L. Mandel and E. Wolf, Optical Coherence and Quantum Optics (Cambridge Univ. Pr., 1995).
• S. K. Mandre, W. Elsaßer, I. Fischer, M. Peeters, and G. Verschaffelt, "Determining the temporally and radially resolved temperature distribution inside a pulsed broad-area vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser cavity," Appl. Phys. Lett.  89, 151 106 (2006). [CrossRef]

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