Optimized arrangement of vertical cavity surface emitting laser arrays to improve thermal characteristics

Abstract

An optimization method for an arrangement of vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) arrays to improve thermal characteristics of the arrays is presented. The method is based on the principle of minimum potential energy and is implemented by a self-organizing algorithm. The thermal and electrical properties of the active regions of the unoptimized and optimized arrays were obtained by a self-consistent thermoelectric simulation of the VCSEL structure based on the finite element method. The output characteristics of the unoptimized and optimized 4 × 4 square VCSEL arrays were studied theoretically and practically. The results showed that the optimized arrays have improved thermal characteristics.