Physical characterization and understanding of spatially incoherent emission regimes of semiconductor lasers and implementation in targeted applications.

This project deals with both theoretical and experimental aspects of a particular type of semiconductor laser: the broad-area vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (BA-VCSEL). Following the recent discovery (2005) within the Department TONA of a special nonmodal emission regime in this type of lasers, we want to carry out theoretical and experimental work to further quantify and explain this this phenomenon, and investigate application prospects. An important application of this research is the use of BA-VCSELs for lighting and display applications. The use of lasers in such applications is indeed hampered by a perceivable graininess (speckle) of the projected image due to the coherence properties of a laser. In this project we want to demonstrate that speckle can be greatly reduced in the nonmodal emission regime of a laser. This opens up possibilities for using semiconductor lasers in a wide range of new applications.