Continuously tunable micromachined vertical cavity surface emitting laser with 18 nm wavelength range

Abstract
A record wide continuous wavelength tuning range of 17.9 nm is demonstrated in a vertical cavity surface emitting laser using a monolithic micromachined deformable membrane top mirror and operating singlemode near 975 nm. A 6.5 mA threshold current and 26 dB mode suppression ratio are achieved, and tuning voltages for the micro-electromechanically movable mirror are below 20.5 V.