Fonstad_Recess-Integration_01

Figure 1:  A microphotograph of a fully integrated VCSEL in its recess on a CMOS chip showing the upper contact pattern connecting the VSCEL to the underlying circuitry.  The emission comes from the small aperture in the contact pattern roughly in the center of the picture.  The threshold current for integrated pill VCSELs like this is typically 2 mA or less.