Optically Pumped VECSEL Using Cavity-Resonator-Integrated Guided-Mode Resonance Mirror

A cavity-resonator-integrated guided-mode resonance mirror (CRIGM) consists of a grating coupler integrated in a waveguide resonator on a high-reflection substrate, and can present highly efficient reflection with steep reflection-phase variation around its operation wavelength. A vertical-external-cavity surface-emitting laser (VECSEL) with a cavity length of several tens of micrometers was constructed by using a gain mirror and a CRIGM as an external mirror. Laser oscillation of the VECSEL was achieved by optical pumping for the first time. Stabilization of the oscillation wavelength unaffected by changes in the cavity length was experimentally confirmed.