Continuous wavelength tuning of two-electrode vertical cavity surface emitting lasers

The first continuously wavelength-tunable vertical cavity surface emitting laser is reported. The total tuning range 18 Å (540GHz) including a 4–6 Å blue shift. The laser poweT remains nearly constant with the tuning current for most of the tuning range. No mode hopping was observed. Using time-resolved spectrum measurement, the tuning time determined to be approximately 300–400 ns.