The purpose of the conference is to highlight the recent progress in the field of vertical external cavity surface emitting lasers (VECSELs). In a VECSEL, the light is emitted perpendicular to the semiconductor gain media layers placed in an external cavity. This offers mode control enabling excellent transverse beam quality with multi-Watt output power levels. The external cavity also enables the integration of elements for nonlinear intracavity frequency conversion, wavelength tuning, or passive mode-locking.

Compared to external-cavity diode-pumped solid-state lasers, the VECSELs operate in much broader spectral regions owing to wavelengths versatility of semiconductor gain media. Direct CW emission from VECSELs has been demonstrated for the entire wavelength range covered by compound semiconductors, extending from blue to mid-IR. Moreover, efficient intra-cavity nonlinear frequency conversion allows to further broaden spectral coverage, reaching ultra-violet and terahertz emission, promoting VECSELs to a status of the most versatile laser type.

While high power, continuous-wave VECSELs have been widely used in medicine, spectroscopy, or for pumping of solid-state lasers, new applications are emerging taking advantage of the unique features they offer. For example, owing to their low-noise properties, high-power, and single-frequency wavelength-tunable operation, CW VECSELs are increasingly used in quantum-technology applications, such as ion-trapping. In parallel, mode-locked ultrafast VECSELs are opening new application opportunities in high-resolution spectroscopy, frequency metrology, and multiphoton microscopy.

A selection of invited papers will provide a comprehensive overview of the latest progress in this fast-developing field. In addition, contributed papers are solicited on all aspects of VECSEL research, including:
Best Student Presentation Award
The committee is pleased to announce that a cash prize of $500, donated by Coherent Inc., will be awarded for the best student presentation. Presentations will be judged by the committee based on scientific merit, impact, as well as clarity of the student presenter’s talk. While the manuscript will not be judged, it is expected.

To be eligible for consideration, the student must:
  • be a graduate or undergraduate full-time student
  • have conducted the majority of the work to be presented
  • be the submitting author and select “Yes” when asked if you are a full-time student
  • select yourself as the speaker
  • under TOPIC selection, choose “Consider for Best Student Paper Award”
  • be accepted to present an oral presentation
  • submit your manuscript online by the deadline
  • make the oral presentation.
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Conference LA106

Vertical External Cavity Surface Emitting Lasers (VECSELs) XII

This conference has an open call for papers:
Submit an Abstract
Submission guidelines for authors and presenters
Conference Co-Sponsor
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Abstract Due: 20 July 2022
Author Notification: 10 October 2022
Manuscript Due: 11 January 2023
The purpose of the conference is to highlight the recent progress in the field of vertical external cavity surface emitting lasers (VECSELs). In a VECSEL, the light is emitted perpendicular to the semiconductor gain media layers placed in an external cavity. This offers mode control enabling excellent transverse beam quality with multi-Watt output power levels. The external cavity also enables the integration of elements for nonlinear intracavity frequency conversion, wavelength tuning, or passive mode-locking.

Compared to external-cavity diode-pumped solid-state lasers, the VECSELs operate in much broader spectral regions owing to wavelengths versatility of semiconductor gain media. Direct CW emission from VECSELs has been demonstrated for the entire wavelength range covered by compound semiconductors, extending from blue to mid-IR. Moreover, efficient intra-cavity nonlinear frequency conversion allows to further broaden spectral coverage, reaching ultra-violet and terahertz emission, promoting VECSELs to a status of the most versatile laser type.

While high power, continuous-wave VECSELs have been widely used in medicine, spectroscopy, or for pumping of solid-state lasers, new applications are emerging taking advantage of the unique features they offer. For example, owing to their low-noise properties, high-power, and single-frequency wavelength-tunable operation, CW VECSELs are increasingly used in quantum-technology applications, such as ion-trapping. In parallel, mode-locked ultrafast VECSELs are opening new application opportunities in high-resolution spectroscopy, frequency metrology, and multiphoton microscopy.

A selection of invited papers will provide a comprehensive overview of the latest progress in this fast-developing field. In addition, contributed papers are solicited on all aspects of VECSEL research, including:
  • novel architectures (MECSELs and MIXSELs)
  • numerical modeling
  • material engineering and wavelength tailoring
  • intracavity nonlinear frequency conversion
  • power scaling and novel thermal management
  • single frequency operation and stabilization
  • mode-locked operation
  • application specific designs
  • industrial developments.

Best Student Presentation Award
The committee is pleased to announce that a cash prize of $500, donated by Coherent Inc., will be awarded for the best student presentation. Presentations will be judged by the committee based on scientific merit, impact, as well as clarity of the student presenter’s talk. While the manuscript will not be judged, it is expected.

To be eligible for consideration, the student must:
  • be a graduate or undergraduate full-time student
  • have conducted the majority of the work to be presented
  • be the submitting author and select “Yes” when asked if you are a full-time student
  • select yourself as the speaker
  • under TOPIC selection, choose “Consider for Best Student Paper Award”
  • be accepted to present an oral presentation
  • submit your manuscript online by the deadline
  • make the oral presentation.
Submit an Abstract
Conference Chair
Robert G. Bedford
Air Force Research Lab. (United States)
Program Committee
Alexander R. Albrecht
The Univ. of New Mexico (United States)
Program Committee
Vasilis Apostolopoulos
Univ. of Southampton (United Kingdom)
Program Committee
Juan L. Chilla
Coherent, Inc. (United States)
Program Committee
Mircea Guina
Tampere Univ. (Finland)
Program Committee
Michael Jetter
Univ. Stuttgart (Germany)
Program Committee
Elyahou Kapon
Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (Switzerland)
Program Committee
Ursula Keller
ETH Zurich (Switzerland)
Program Committee
Walter Lubeigt
M Squared Lasers Ltd. (United Kingdom)
Program Committee
Marcel Rattunde
Fraunhofer-Institut für Angewandte Festkörperphysik IAF (Germany)
Additional Information

Download call for papers PDF


What you will need to submit
  • Title
  • Author(s) information
  • Speaker biography
  • 250-word abstract for technical review
  • 100-word summary for the program
  • Keywords used in search for your paper (optional)
Note: Only original material should be submitted. Commercial papers, papers with no new research/development content, and papers with proprietary restrictions will not be accepted for presentation.