Top-emitting micromechanical VCSEL with a 31.6-nm tuning range

Author

Li, M.Y. ; Yuen, W. ; Li, G.S. ; Chang-Hasnain, C.J.

Author_Institution

Dept. of Electr. Eng., Stanford Univ., CA, USA

Volume

10

Issue

1

fYear

1998

Firstpage

18

Lastpage

20

Abstract

We report a top-emitting micromechanical vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) with a continuously tunable wavelength range of 31.6 nm, the widest tuning range demonstrated by a VCSEL to date. Good laser characteristics are maintained throughout the tuning range centered at 935 nm: continuous-wave (CW) threshold occurs between 1.24.5 mA while output power at 10-mA DC bias remains between 0.5 and 1.6 mW. By analyzing the pulsed differential quantum efficiency as a function of emission wavelength, we conclude that tilt loss from the cantilever design does not significantly affect the tuning range or laser performance.

Keywords

laser beams; laser cavity resonators; laser tuning; laser variables measurement; micromechanical resonators; optical losses; semiconductor lasers; surface emitting lasers; 0.5 to 1.6 mW; 1.2 to 4.5 mA; 10 mA; 935 nm; DC bias; cantilever design; continuous-wave threshold; continuously tunable wavelength range; emission wavelength; laser characteristics; laser performance; output power; pulsed differential quantum efficiency; tilt loss; top-emitting micromechanical vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser; tuning range; Laser tuning; Micromechanical devices; Optical pulses; Performance analysis; Power generation; Power lasers; Surface emitting lasers; Surface waves; Tunable circuits and devices; Vertical cavity surface emitting lasers;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Photonics Technology Letters, IEEE

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

1041-1135

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/68.651087

Filename

651087