We report a high-intensity nano-aperture vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) utilizing a bowtie-shaped aperture. A maximum power of $188\mu \mathrm{W}$ is achieved from a $180\mathrm{nm}$ bowtie aperture at a wavelength of $970\mathrm{nm}$ . The near-field full width at half-maximum intensity spot size $20\mathrm{nm}$ away from the bowtie aperture is $64\mathrm{nm}\times 66\mathrm{nm}$ from simulation, and the peak near-field intensity is estimated to be as high as $47\mathrm{mW}∕\mu {\mathrm{m}}^2$ . This intensity is high enough to realize near-field optical recording, and the small spot size corresponds to storage densities up to $150\mathrm{Gbits}∕{\mathrm{in}}^2$ . The bowtie-aperture VCSEL also enables other applications, such as compact high-intensity probes for ultrahigh-resolution near-field imaging and single molecule fluorescence and spectroscopy.

© 2007 Optical Society of America

You do not have subscription access to this journal. Citation lists with outbound citation links are available to subscribers only. You may subscribe either as an OSA member, or as an authorized user of your institution.

Contact your librarian or system administrator
or
Log in to access OSA Member Subscription

You do not have subscription access to this journal. Cited by links are available to subscribers only. You may subscribe either as an OSA member, or as an authorized user of your institution.

Contact your librarian or system administrator
or
Log in to access OSA Member Subscription

You do not have subscription access to this journal. Figure files are available to subscribers only. You may subscribe either as an OSA member, or as an authorized user of your institution.

Contact your librarian or system administrator
or
Log in to access OSA Member Subscription

You do not have subscription access to this journal. Article level metrics are available to subscribers only. You may subscribe either as an OSA member, or as an authorized user of your institution.

Contact your librarian or system administrator
or
Log in to access OSA Member Subscription

Related Journal Articles

• Polarization noise in elliptically polarized vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (JOSAB)
• Spatial quantum noise of semiconductor lasers (JOSAB)
• Spatial distribution of the intensity noise of a vertical-cavity surface-emitting semiconductor laser (OL)
• Magneto-Optical Disk Drive Technology Using Multiple Fiber-Coupled Flying Optical Heads. Part I. System Design and Performance (AO)
• High transmission through ridge nano-apertures on Vertical-Cavity Surface-Emitting Lasers (OE)

Related Conference Papers

• 50-GHz Mode-Locked VECSELs: An Integrable Alternative to High-Repetition-Rate Solid-State Lasers
• Blu-ray Disc/DVD/CD Compatible Pick-up having a Single Objective Lens and SA detection Function
• A High-Intensity Bowtie Nano-Aperture Vertical-Cavity Surface-Emitting Laser for Ultrahigh-Density Near-Field Optical Data Storage
• High-power polarization in large-aperture vertical-cavity top-emitting lasers
• Optical Spin-Injection of a 1300nm-VCSEL