Novel 2-chip-concept for micro-mechanically tunable long-wavelength VCSELs for the 1.55 μm wavelength range

摘要

In this paper, a novel two-chip-concept for an electrically pumped and micro-mechanically tunable vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) operating in the 1.55 μm wavelength range is presented. One chip contains the active region with 5 quantum wells based on the material system AlGaInAs/InP and a buried tunnel junction (BTJ) to provide current confinement and waveguiding. A dielectric mirror forms the back reflector. The second chip consists of a curved mirror membrane that can be displaced by electro-thermal heating. The main advantage of this approach is that both parts can be optimized separately. Packaged laser devices show continuous-wave operation at room temperature with an output power of up to 200 μW and very good side mode suppression in the order of 45 dB. Single-mode operation was observed across a tuning range of more than 30 nm.