9526515 Chou The goal of the proposed research is to experimentally demonstrate an innovative ultra-high frequency polarization-switching vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (PS-VCSEL) that we have proposed recently 1 . the innovative laser is based on our recent development of the artificial quarter-wave plates that employ nanoscale amorphous silicon gratings with periods less than the wavelength of light (i.e.: subwavelength) 2 . The unique feature of the subwavelength-grating quarter-wave plate is that its birefringence is over three orders of magnitude higher than that in a natural birefringence crystal such as quartz. Therefore, use of such subwavelength-grating quarter-wave plate will reduce the extended cavity of PS-VCSEL by three order of magnitude and increase the oscillation frequency by three orders of magnitude. ***
