An exemplary embodiment of the present invention integrates an absorbing
layer into the emitting mirror of a VCSEL to reduce the reflectivity of
the emitting mirror as seen by the feedback optical wave. The absorbing
layer may be made of a suitable semiconductor material, such as a GaAs
layer in a laser emitting near 850 nm or highly doped p-layer, and may
disposed epitaxially in a semiconductor or metamorphic mirror.
Alternatively, a metal layer may be disposed in the dielectric portion of
a hybrid mirror or all-dielectric mirror.
