Widely tunable 1.5 [micro sign]m micromechanical optical filter using AlOx/AlGaAs DBR

Abstract

The authors demonstrate, for the first time, a wavelength tunable optical filter at 1.55 /spl mu/m using micromechanical tuning of a Fabry-Perot resonator with an AlO/sub x//AlGaAs distributed Bragg reflectors (DBR). The use of thermally oxidised AlAs layers, resulting an ultrawide bandwidth, dramatically increased the tuning range and efficiency of the resonator. Very efficient continuous tuning of >50 nm with only a 0.95 V tuning voltage was achieved. The tuning range, limited by our test laser, is expected to be expandable to hundreds of nm.