SBIR Phase I: Wide Tuning Range VCSEL

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project is to develop a tunable, low power miniaturized laser which can be applied to a wide variety of sensing applications. The laser will use thermal tuning and is expected to provide a tuning range of >40nm with less than 2V, and a tuning power dissipation of less than 4mW. Homeland security, industrial safety, and indoor environmental monitoring are driving a demand for increased chemical and biological sensing. There is also increasing activity in the area of biomedical monitoring, allowing one to monitor a patient for vital signs and biomarkers in order to take action before the situation becomes a crisis. A widely tunable VCSEL would enable very compact solutions, allowing such sensors to be incorporated into a wearable device, or a portable sensor. This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).