Surface micromachined MEMS-tunable VCSELs with wide and fast wavelength tuning

For the first time a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) with singlemode wavelength tuning over 74 nm in the range of 1.55 μm and a wavelength tuning speed of ~200 kHz is demonstrated. The wavelength tuning is achieved with the electro static actuated of a mirror membrane, fabricated with surface micromachining. The mirror membrane consists of the dielectric materials SiO_x and SiN_y deposited with low temperature (<;100°C) plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition. The maximum fibre-coupled optical output power of the VCSEL is 1.8 mW and >;1 mW over the entire tuning range. The sidemode suppression ratio is >;40 dB.