Micro-electro-mechanical tunable vertical cavity surface emitting lasers using metal flexures and a top dielectric stack distributed Bragg reflector

Summary form only given. In this study we design, fabricate, and characterize tunable "membrane" VCSELs using novel micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) piston micromirror designs that include metal or hybrid metal/dielectric top flexures. The device structures start as conventional 980 nm resonant cavity light-emitting diodes (RCLEDs) with selectively oxidized AlGaO current apertures. We use a photosensitive spin-on polymer (polymethylglutarimide - PMGI) material as the sacrificial material between the RCLED and the upper flexure. Up to seven photolithographic mask steps are used to define/create mesas.