Improved performances of 850 nm vertical cavity surface emitting lasers utilizing the self-planar mesa structure

•We presented the self-planar mesa structure for improving VCSEL performances.•VCSELs with the self-planar mesa enhanced the dissipation rate of heat.•The series resistance of N-DBR was reduced by this mesa structure.•Improved rollover current and output power was gained from experimental results.

We presented the self-planar mesa structure for improving the performances of 850-nm oxide-confined vertical cavity surface emitting lasers (VCSELs). By employing the self-planar mesa, the maximum output power was increased from 8 mW to more than 11 mW, and the maximum wall–plug efficiency was improved from 26% to 36% for the VCSEL with an oxide aperture size of 13 μm at 15 °C. The thermal resistance was decreased from 1.16 °C/mW to 0.94 °C/mW. Thermal simulations about different mesa structures were carried out. And the enhanced lateral heat dissipation and current diffusion within VCSELs was considered to be the main reason for improved performances.