CONTINUOUSLY TUNABLE MICRO-ELECTROMECHANICAL VERTICAL-CAVITY SURFACE-EMITTING LASERS

Citation
Mc. Larson et al., CONTINUOUSLY TUNABLE MICRO-ELECTROMECHANICAL VERTICAL-CAVITY SURFACE-EMITTING LASERS, International journal of optoelectronics, 10(5), 1995, pp. 401-408
Citations number
20
Categorie Soggetti
Engineering, Eletrical & Electronic",Optics
ISSN journal
09525432
Volume
10
Issue
5
Year of publication
1995
Pages
401 - 408
Database
ISI
SICI code
0952-5432(1995)10:5<401:CTMVS>2.0.ZU;2-L
Abstract
Continuous wavelength tuning is achieved micro-electromechanically in a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser. The device utilizes a monoli thic micromachined deformable-membrane top mirror suspended by an air gap above a p-i-n diode quantum well active region and bottom mirror. Applied membrane voltage bias produces an electrostatic force which re duces the air gap thickness and therefore tunes the lasing wavelength. Coupled-cavity effects play an important role in the device character istics, and the wavelength range is significantly larger than that of conventional diode lasers that rely on refractive index effects for tu ning.