Long wavelength-tunable VCSELs with optimized MEMS bridge tuning structure

Author

Sun, Decai ; Fan, Wenjun ; Kner, Peter ; Boucart, Julien ; Kageyama, Takeo ; Zhang, Dongxu ; Pathak, Rajiv ; Nabiev, Rashit F. ; Yuen, Wupen

Author_Institution

Bandwidth9, Fremont, CA, USA

Volume

16

Issue

3

fYear

2004

fDate

3/1/2004 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

714

Lastpage

716

Abstract

In this letter, we present the first demonstration of a long wavelength-tunable vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) using a monolithically integrated bridge tuning microelectromechanical system structure. The use of such a tuning structure allows for better wavelength tuning repeatability and wider tuning range as compared to cantilever-based tunable VCSELs. The devices show tuning ranges over 22 nm with peak output power of 1.3 mW in continuous-wave operation at 15°C. The bridge structure has a mechanical resonant frequency of 80 kHz. The transmission test through 300-km single-mode fiber (SMF-28) using the tunable VCSEL under mechanical vibration below 10 KHz and 10-G acceleration shows little bit-error-rate degradation.

Keywords

laser cavity resonators; laser tuning; micro-optics; micromechanical devices; optical fibre testing; semiconductor lasers; surface emitting lasers; vibrations; 1.3 mW; 15 degC; 300 km; 80 kHz; acceleration; bit-error-rate degradation; continuous-wave operation; long wavelength-tunable VCSELs; mechanical resonant frequency; mechanical vibration; monolithically integrated bridge tuning microelectromechanical system; optimized MEMS bridge tuning structure; semiconductor laser; single-mode fiber; transmission test; tunable VCSEL; tuning range; vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser; wavelength tuning repeatability; Bridge circuits; Laser tuning; Microelectromechanical systems; Micromechanical devices; Power generation; Resonant frequency; 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/LPT.2004.823743

Filename

1269771