External cavity resonator type tunable light source which can be easily manufactured and which is capable of wavelength sweeping at high speed

• US 7,496,118 B2
• Filed: 03/21/2005
• Issued: 02/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Anritsu Corporation
• Original Assignee: Anritsu Corporation
• Inventors: Nakamura, Kenichi
• Primary Examiner(s): ZHANG, YUANDA
• Assistant Examiner(s): ZHANG, YUANDA
• Application Number:
  US11/086,858
• Publication Number:
  US 20050220162A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,436 Days
• Field of Search: 372/20
• US Class Current: 372/20
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/02326 Arrangements for relative positioning of laser diodes and optical components, e.g. grooves in the mount to fix optical fibres or lenses
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/141 using a wavelength selective device, e.g. a grating or etalon H01S5/146 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/143 Littman-Metcalf configuration, e.g. laser - grating - mirror

Abstract

A collimator lens converts light beams emitted from a low reflectance facet of a semiconductor laser into parallel light beams. A diffraction grating receives and diffracts the light beams at a predetermined incident position and a predetermined angle of a diffraction face. A turnable mirror has a mirror surface which is positioned opposite the diffractance facet of the diffraction grating, makes the diffracted light beams incident in a reverse optical path to the diffraction face, and returns the incident light beams to the laser. A stationary mirror makes the light beams from the collimator lens incident from a predetermined direction to a predetermined position of the diffraction grating at the side of the mirror surface of a virtual plane extending from the mirror surface of the mirror and at the side of the diffraction face of a virtual plane extending from the diffraction face of the diffraction grating.

Claims

1. An external cavity resonator type tunable light source comprising:

a base;

a semiconductor laser, which is fixed to the base, and includes at least one low reflectance, light emission facet;

a collimator lens which is fixed to the base and converts light emitted from the low reflectance facet of the semiconductor laser into a parallel light beam;

a diffraction grating which is fixed to the base and receives and diffracts the light beam from the collimator lens at a predetermined incident position on and at a predetermined incident angle to a diffraction face on which a plurality of diffraction grooves is provided in a direction substantially perpendicular to the base;

a turnable mirror which is fixed to the base and has a mirror surface positioned opposite the diffraction face of the diffraction grating, the mirror surface being arranged to receive a diffracted light beam from the diffraction grating, make the received light beam incident to the diffraction face of the diffraction grating again in a reverse optical path, and return the incident light beams to the semiconductor laser, and which is formed so as to enable the reflection face to be reciprocally turned at a predetermined angle range and around an axis defined as a turning center, which is parallel to the diffraction groove and is on a plane extending from the diffraction face of the diffraction grating, wherein a resonator length determined depending on an optical path length from an effective end facet of the resonator to the turnable mirror surface via the diffraction grating is changed by turning the turnable mirror surface to sweep a wavelength of the emitted light from the semiconductor laser; and

a stationary mirror which is fixed to the base and arranged so as to make the light beam emitted from the semiconductor laser via the collimator lens incident from a predetermined direction to a predetermined position of the diffraction grating at the side of the mirror surface of a virtual plane extending from the turnable mirror surface and at the side of the diffraction face of a virtual plane extending from the diffraction face of the diffraction grating,

wherein the semiconductor laser, the collimator lens, the stationary mirror, the diffraction grating and the turnable mirror are fixed to the base so that all of these components of the external cavity resonator type tunable light source are integrated in connection with the base,

wherein the semiconductor laser and the collimator lens are arranged at the side of the mirror surface of a virtual plane extending from the turnable mirror surface, and an optical path length from the effective end facet of the resonator to the collimator lens, the stationary mirror, the predetermined position of the diffraction grating, and the turnable mirror surface is substantially equal to the resonator length,

wherein the turnable mirror comprises;

a frame to which MEMS are applied and having a silicon substrate, the frame including a top plate, a bottom plate and a pair of side plates in a transversely rectangular frame shape;

a transversely rectangular reflection plate which is arranged concentrically inside the frame, and includes a mirror surface for reflecting the light beam at least at one face side thereof;

a pair of link sections arranged on one straight line from inner edge centers of the top plate and the bottom plate of the frame, opposed to each other, to an upper edge center and a lower edge center of the reflection plate to link between the top plate or the lower plate of the frame and the reflection plate, the link sections being torsionally deformable to turn the reflection plate; and

drive means for applying an external force to the reflection plate to cause the reflection plate to turn in the predetermined angle range around a line connecting centers of the pair of link sections defined as the turning center; and

wherein a relationship r=(L3+L4−

L2)/sin α

is established where;

“

r”

is a distance from the turning center to the predetermined incidence position of the diffraction face of the diffraction grating;

“

L2”

is a distance from the turning center to the plane extending from the mirror surface;

“

L3”

is an optical path length from the effective end facet of the resonator to the stationary mirror;

“

L4”

is an optical path length from the stationary mirror to the predetermined incident position of the diffraction face of the diffraction grating; and

α

is a light incidence angle from the stationary mirror to the diffraction face of the diffraction grating.

2. An external cavity resonator type tunable light source according to claim 1, wherein the semiconductor laser, the collimator lens, the stationary mirror, the diffraction grating and the turnable mirror are not in contact with one another.

3. An external cavity resonator type tunable light source according to claim 1, wherein the drive means apply an external force in a cycle which corresponds to a resonance frequency of the reflection plate of the turnable mirror to cause the reflection plate to be reciprocated at the resonance frequency.

4. An external cavity resonator type tunable light source according to claim 1, wherein the turnable mirror does not cross the optical path.

5. An external cavity resonator type tunable light source according to claim 1, wherein the stationary mirror surface is in parallel to the diffraction groove of the diffraction grating and an optical path from the semiconductor laser to the reflection plate through the collimator lens, the stationary mirror, and the diffraction grating is on an identical plane.

6. An external cavity resonator type tunable light source according to claim 1, wherein the reflection plate is formed symmetrically on the left and right with respect to the pair of link sections, one end side of which is used as a light reflecting section, and the other end side is arranged to receive an external force.

7. An external cavity resonator type tunable light source according to claim 1, wherein the drive means include means for generating an electrostatic driving force as an external force applied to the reflection plate.

8. An external cavity resonator type tunable light source according to claim 1, wherein the drive means each include two electrode plates mounted via an insulating spacer on one or both of a pair of side plates of the frame in order to apply an external force to the reflection plate in an electrostatic manner.

9. An external cavity resonator type tunable light source according to claim 8, wherein the drive means each include means for applying signals V1, V2 whose phases are shifted by 180 degrees to each other with respect to the two electrode plates while the frame is defined as a reference electric potential, and alternately generating an electrostatic attractive force between the two electrode plates and the end portion of the reflection plate, thereby causing the reflection plate to reciprocally turn.

10. An external cavity resonator type tunable light source according to claim 9, wherein a frequency of the signals V1, V2 is substantially equal to the resonance frequency of the reflection plate which is determined depending on a shape and a weight of the reflection plate of the turnable mirror and a torsional spring constant of the pair of link sections.

11. An external cavity resonator type tunable light source according to claim 1, wherein the drive means each include means for electromagnetically applying an external force as the external force applied to the reflection plate.

12. An external cavity resonator type tunable light source according to claim 11, wherein the means for electromagnetically applying an external force each include a combination of a magnetic plate fixed to the reflection plate and a coil which provides an electromagnetic force to the magnetic plate.

13. An external cavity resonator type tunable light source according to claim 11, wherein the means for electromagnetically applying an external force each include a combination of a magnet fixed to the reflection plate and a coil which provides an electromagnetic force to the magnet.

14. An external cavity resonator type tunable light source according to claim 12, wherein the drive means each include means for applying a half wave current in a cycle which is substantially equal to the resonance frequency of the reflection plate to the coil.

15. An external cavity resonator type tunable light source according to claim 13, wherein the drive means each include means for applying a full wave current in a cycle which is substantially equal to the resonance frequency of the reflection plate to the coil.

16. An external cavity resonator type tunable light source comprising:

a semiconductor laser having at least one low reflectance, light emission facet;

a collimator lens which converts light emitted from the low reflectance facet of the semiconductor laser into a parallel light beam;

a diffraction grating which receives and diffracts the light beam from the collimator lens at a predetermined incident position on and at a predetermined incident angle to a diffraction face on which a diffraction groove is provided;

a turnable mirror which has a mirror surface positioned opposite the diffraction face of the diffraction grating, the mirror surface being arranged to receive a diffracted light beam from the diffraction grating, make the received light beam incident to the diffraction face of the diffraction grating in a reverse optical path, and return the incident light beam to the semiconductor laser, and which is formed so as to enable the reflection face to be reciprocally turned at a predetermined angle range and around an axis defined as a turning center, which is parallel to the diffraction groove and is on a plane extending from the diffraction face of the diffraction grating, wherein a resonator length determined depending on an optical path length from an effective end facet of the resonator to the turnable mirror surface via the diffraction grating is changed by turning the turnable mirror surface to sweep a wavelength of the emitted light from the semiconductor laser; and

a stationary mirror arranged to make the light beam emitted from the semiconductor laser via the collimator lens incident from a predetermined direction to a predetermined position of the diffraction grating at the side of the mirror surface of a virtual plane extending from the turnable mirror surface and at the side of the diffraction face of a virtual plane extending from the diffraction face of the diffraction grating,

wherein the semiconductor laser and the collimator lens are arranged at the side of the mirror surface of a virtual plane extending from the turnable mirror surface, and an optical path length from the effective end facet of the resonator to the collimator lens, the stationary mirror, the predetermined position of the diffraction grating, and the turnable mirror surface is substantially equal to the resonator length,

wherein the turnable mirror comprises;

a frame;

a reflection plate arranged inside the frame and which has the mirror surface formed at least at one face side thereof;

a pair of link sections arranged on one straight line from edge portions opposite each other, of the frame, to outer edges of the reflection plate to link between the frame and the reflection plate, the link sections enabling torsional deformation along a lengthwise direction thereof; and

drive means for applying an external force to the reflection plate to cause the reflection plate to turn in the predetermined angle range around a line connecting centers of the pair of link sections defined as the turning center,

wherein the semiconductor laser and the collimator lens are arranged at an arbitrary position in a space in which the diffraction grating is included, from among two spaces partitioned by a plane extending from the reflection face of the reflection plate, and a direction of the stationary mirror surface is determined in accordance with the position of the semiconductor laser and the collimator lens, and

wherein the semiconductor laser, the collimator lens and the stationary mirror are supported by a support member and arranged with respect to a base such that an optical axis passing therethrough is substantially parallel to the diffraction groove of the diffraction grating, the light beam from the collimator lens is received on the stationary mirror surface which forms an angle of 45 degrees with respect to a top face of the base, and the received light beam is made incident to the diffraction face of the diffraction grating.

17. An external cavity resonator type tunable light source according to claim 16, wherein the drive means apply the external force in a cycle which corresponds to a resonance frequency of the reflection plate of the turnable mirror to cause the reflection plate to be reciprocated at the resonance frequency.

18. An external cavity resonator type tunable light source according to claim 16, wherein a relationship r=(L3+L4−

L2)/sin α

is established where;

“

r”

is a distance from the turning center to the predetermined incidence position of the diffraction face of the diffraction grating;

“

L2”

is a distance from the turning center to the plane extending from the mirror surface;

“

L3”

is an optical path length from the effective end facet of the resonator to the stationary mirror;

“

L4”

is an optical path length from the stationary mirror to the predetermined incident position of the diffraction face of the diffraction grating; and

α

is a light incidence angle from the stationary mirror to the diffraction face of the diffraction grating.

19. An external cavity resonator type tunable light source according to claim 16, wherein:

the frame of the turnable mirror is formed of an electrically conductive substrate, and includes a top plate, a bottom plate, and a pair of side plates in a transversely rectangular frame shape,

the reflection plate of the turnable mirror is a transversely rectangular reflection plate which is arranged concentrically inside the frame, and which has formed thereon a mirror surface for reflecting the light beam at least at one face side thereof, and

the pair of link sections are arranged on one straight line from inner edge centers opposed to each other, of the top plate and the bottom plate of the frame to an upper edge center and a lower edge center of the reflection plate to link between the top plate or the lower plate of the frame and the reflection plate, the link sections being torsionally deformed to turn the reflection plate.

20. An external cavity resonator type tunable light source according to claim 19, wherein the substrate is a silicon substrate.

21. An external cavity resonator type tunable light source according to claim 16, wherein the reflection plate is formed symmetrically on the left and right with respect to the pair of link sections, one end side of which is used as a light reflecting section, and the other end side is arranged to receive the external force.

22. An external cavity resonator type tunable light source according to claim 16, wherein the drive means include means for generating an electrostatic driving force as the external force applied to the reflection plate.

23. An external cavity resonator type tunable light source according to claim 16, wherein the drive means each include two electrode plates mounted via an insulating spacer on one or both of a pair of side plates of the frame in order to apply the external force to the reflection plate in an electrostatic manner.

24. An external cavity resonator type tunable light source according to claim 23, wherein the drive means each include means for applying signals V1, V2 whose phases are shifted by 180 degrees to each other with respect to the two electrode plates while the frame is defined as a reference electric potential, and alternately generating an electrostatic attractive force between the two electrode plates and the end portion of the reflection plate, thereby causing the reflection plate to reciprocally turn.

25. An external cavity resonator type tunable light source according to claim 24, wherein a frequency of the signals V1, V2 is substantially equal to the resonance frequency of the reflection plate which is determined depending on a shape and a weight of the reflection plate of the turnable mirror and a torsional spring constant of the pair of link sections.

26. An external cavity resonator type tunable light source according to claim 16, wherein the drive means each include means for electromagnetically applying an external force as the external force applied to the reflection plate.

27. An external cavity resonator type tunable light source according to claim 26, wherein the means for electromagnetically applying an external force each include a combination of a magnetic plate fixed to the reflection plate and a coil which provides an electromagnetic force to the magnetic plate.

28. An external cavity resonator type tunable light source according to claim 26, wherein the means for electromagnetically applying an external force each include a combination of a magnet fixed to the reflection plate and a coil which provides an electromagnetic force to the magnet.

29. An external cavity resonator type tunable light source according to claim 27, wherein the drive means each include means for applying a half wave current in a cycle which is substantially equal to the resonance frequency of the reflection plate to the coil.

30. An external cavity resonator type tunable light source according to claim 28, wherein the drive means each include means for applying a full wave current in a cycle which is substantially equal to the resonance frequency of the reflection plate to the coil.

31. An external cavity resonator type tunable light source according to claim 16, wherein the diffraction grating and the turnable mirror are structured to stand on a base.

32. An external cavity resonator type tunable light source comprising:

a semiconductor laser having at least one low reflectance, light emission facet;

a collimator lens which converts light emitted from the low reflectance facet of the semiconductor laser into a parallel light beam;

a diffraction grating which receives and diffracts the light beam from the collimator lens at a predetermined incident position on and at a predetermined incident angle to a diffraction face on which a diffraction groove is provided;

a turnable mirror which has a mirror surface positioned opposite the diffraction face of the diffraction grating, the mirror surface being arranged to receive a diffracted light beam from the diffraction grating, make the received light beam incident to the diffraction face of the diffraction grating again in a reverse optical path, and return the incident light beams to the semiconductor laser, and which is formed so as to enable the reflection face to be reciprocally turned at a predetermined angle range and around an axis defined as a turning center, which is parallel to the diffraction groove and is on a plane extending from the diffraction face of the diffraction grating, wherein a resonator length determined depending on an optical path length from an effective end facet of the resonator to the turnable mirror surface via the diffraction grating is changed by turning the turnable mirror surface to sweep a wavelength of the emitted light from the semiconductor laser; and

a stationary mirror arranged to make the light beam emitted from the semiconductor laser via the collimator lens incident from a predetermined direction to a predetermined position of the diffraction grating at the side of the mirror surface of a virtual plane extending from the turnable mirror surface and at the side of the diffraction face of a virtual plane extending from the diffraction face of the diffraction grating,

wherein the semiconductor laser and the collimator lens are arranged at the side of the mirror surface of a virtual plane extending from the turnable mirror surface, and an optical path length from the effective end facet of the resonator to the collimator lens, the stationary mirror, the predetermined position of the diffraction grating, and the turnable mirror surface is substantially equal to the resonator length,

wherein the turnable mirror comprises;

a frame;

a reflection plate arranged inside the frame and which has the mirror surface formed at least at one face side thereof;

a pair of link sections arranged on one straight line from edge portions opposed to each other, of the frame, to outer edges of the reflection plate to link between the frame and the reflection plate, the link sections enabling torsional deformation along a lengthwise direction thereof; and

drive means for applying an external force to the reflection plate to cause the reflection plate to turn in the predetermined angle range around a line connecting centers of the pair of link sections defined as the turning center;

wherein the frame of the turnable mirror is supported by a pair of support members situated at both ends of the top part of a flat substrate; and

wherein the diffraction grating is supported by a first additional support member situated on the top part of the substrate, and the semiconductor laser, the collimator lens, and the stationary mirror are supported by a second additional support member situated in a vicinity of the first additional support member.

33. An external cavity resonator type tunable light source according to claim 32, wherein the drive means apply the external force in a cycle which corresponds to a resonance frequency of the reflection plate of the turnable mirror to cause the reflection plate to be reciprocated at the resonance frequency.

34. An external cavity resonator type tunable light source according to claim 32, wherein a relationship r=(L3+L4−

L2)/sin α

is established where;

“

r”

is a distance from the turning center to the predetermined incidence position of the diffraction face of the diffraction grating;

“

L2”

is a distance from the turning center to the plane extending from the mirror surface;

“

L3”

is an optical path length from the effective end facet of the resonator to the stationary mirror;

“

L4”

is an optical path length from the stationary mirror to the predetermined incident position of the diffraction face of the diffraction grating; and

α

is a light incidence angle from the stationary mirror to the diffraction face of the diffraction grating.

35. An external cavity resonator type tunable light source according to claim 32, wherein:

the frame of the turnable mirror is formed of an electrically conductive substrate, and includes a top plate, a bottom plate, and a pair of side plates in a transversely rectangular frame shape;

the reflection plate is a transversely rectangular reflection plate which is arranged concentrically inside the frame, and which has formed thereon a mirror surface for reflecting the light beam at least at one face side thereof; and

the pair of link sections are arranged on one straight line from inner edge centers opposed to each other, of the top plate and the bottom plate of the frame to an upper edge center and a lower edge center of the reflection plate to link between the top plate or the lower plate of the frame and the reflection plate, the link sections being torsionally deformed to turn the reflection plate.

36. An external cavity resonator type tunable light source according to claim 35, wherein the substrate is a silicon substrate.

37. An external cavity resonator type tunable light source according to claim 32, wherein the stationary mirror surface is parallel to the diffraction groove of the diffraction grating and an optical path from the semiconductor laser to the reflection plate through the collimator lens, the stationary mirror, and the diffraction grating is on an identical plane.

38. An external cavity resonator type tunable light source according to claim 32, wherein the reflection plate is formed symmetrically on the left and right with respect to the pair of link sections, one end side of which is used as a light reflecting section, and the other end side is arranged to receive an external force.

39. An external cavity resonator type tunable light source according to claim 32, wherein the drive means include means for generating an electrostatic driving force as the external force applied to the reflection plate.

40. An external cavity resonator type tunable light source according to claim 32, wherein the drive means each include two electrode plates mounted via an insulating spacer on one or both of a pair of side plates of the frame in order to apply an external force to the reflection plate in an electrostatic manner.

41. An external cavity resonator type tunable light source according to claim 40, wherein the drive means each include means for applying signals V1, V2 whose phases are shifted by 180 degrees to each other with respect to the two electrode plates while the frame is defined as a reference electric potential, and alternately generating an electrostatic attractive force between the two electrode plates and the end portion of the reflection plate, thereby causing the reflection plate to reciprocally turn.

42. An external cavity resonator type tunable light source according to claim 41, wherein a frequency of the signals V1, V2 is substantially equal to the resonance frequency of the reflection plate which is determined depending on a shape and a weight of the reflection plate of the turnable mirror and a torsional spring constant of the pair of link sections.

43. An external cavity resonator type tunable light source according to claim 32, wherein the drive means each include means for electromagnetically applying an external force as the external force applied to the reflection plate.

44. An external cavity resonator type tunable light source according to claim 43, wherein the means for electromagnetically applying an external force each include a combination of a magnetic plate fixed to the reflection plate and a coil which provides an electromagnetic force to the magnetic plate.

45. An external cavity resonator type tunable light source according to claim 43, wherein the means for electromagnetically applying an external force each include a combination of a magnet fixed to the reflection plate and a coil which provides an electromagnetic force to the magnet.

46. An external cavity resonator type tunable light source according to claim 44, wherein the drive means each include means for applying a half wave current in a cycle which is substantially equal to the resonance frequency of the reflection plate to the coil.

47. An external cavity resonator type tunable light source according to claim 45, wherein the drive means each include means for applying a full wave current in a cycle which is substantially equal to the resonance frequency of the reflection plate to the coil.

48. An external cavity resonator type tunable light source comprising:

a semiconductor laser having at least one low reflectance, light emission facet;

a collimator lens which converts light emitted from the low reflectance facet of the semiconductor laser into a parallel light beam;

a diffraction grating which receives and diffracts the light beam from the collimator lens at a predetermined incident position on and at a predetermined incident angle to a diffraction face on which a diffraction groove is provided;

a turnable mirror which has a mirror surface positioned to be opposed to the diffraction face of the diffraction grating, the mirror surface being arranged to receive a diffracted light beam from the diffraction grating, make the received light beam incident to the diffraction face of the diffraction grating again in a reverse optical path, and return the incident light beam to the semiconductor laser, and which is formed so as to enable the reflection face to be reciprocally turned at a predetermined angle range and around an axis defined as a turning center, which is parallel to the diffraction groove and is on a plane extending from the diffraction face of the diffraction grating, wherein a resonator length determined depending on an optical path length from an effective end facet of the resonator to the turnable mirror surface via the diffraction grating is changed by turning the turnable mirror surface to sweep a wavelength of the emitted light from the semiconductor laser; and

a stationary mirror arranged to make the light beam emitted from the semiconductor laser via the collimator lens incident from a predetermined direction to a predetermined position of the diffraction grating at the side of the mirror surface of a virtual plane extending from the turnable mirror surface and at the side of the diffraction face of a virtual plane extending from the diffraction face of the diffraction grating,

wherein the semiconductor laser and the collimator lens are arranged at the side of the mirror surface of a virtual plane extending from the turnable mirror surface, and an optical path length from the effective end facet of the resonator to the collimator lens, the stationary mirror, the predetermined position of the diffraction grating, and the turnable mirror surface is substantially equal to the resonator length,

wherein the turnable mirror comprises;

a frame;

a reflection plate arranged inside the frame and which has the mirror surface formed at least at one face side thereof;

a pair of link sections arranged on one straight line from edge portions opposed to each other, of the frame, to outer edges of the reflection plate to link between the frame and the reflection plate, the link sections enabling torsional deformation along a lengthwise direction thereof; and

drive means for applying an external force to the reflection plate to cause the reflection plate to turn in the predetermined angle range around a line connecting centers of the pair of link sections defined as the turning center,

wherein the frame of the turnable mirror is supported by a pair of support members situated at both ends of a top part of a flat substrate;

wherein the diffraction grating is supported by a first additional support member situated on the top part of the substrate;

wherein the semiconductor laser, the collimator lens, and the stationary mirror are supported by a second additional support member situated in a vicinity of the first additional support member; and

wherein, also at the other end side of the reflection plate, another semiconductor laser, another collimator lens, another stationary mirror and another diffraction grating are supported by the first and second additional support members thereby providing a configuration such that wavelength variable light beams can be emitted in a dual system manner.

49. An external cavity resonator type tunable light source according to claim 48, wherein the drive means apply the external force in a cycle which corresponds to a resonance frequency of the reflection plate of the turnable mirror to cause the reflection plate to be reciprocated at the resonance frequency.

50. An external cavity resonator type tunable light source according to claim 48, wherein a relationship r=(L3+L4−

L2)/sin α

is established where;

“

r”

is a distance from the turning center to the predetermined incidence position of the diffraction face of the diffraction grating;

“

L2”

is a distance from the turning center to the plane extending from the mirror surface;

“

L3”

is an optical path length from the effective end facet of the resonator to the stationary mirror;

“

L4”

is an optical path length from the stationary mirror to the predetermined incident position of the diffraction face of the diffraction grating; and

α

is a light incidence angle from the stationary mirror to the diffraction face of the diffraction grating.

51. An external cavity resonator type tunable light source according to claim 48, wherein:

the frame of the turnable mirror is formed of an electrically conductive substrate, and includes a top plate, a bottom plate, and a pair of side plates in a transversely rectangular frame shape;

the reflection plate is a transversely rectangular reflection plate which is arranged concentrically inside the frame, and which has formed thereon a mirror surface for reflecting the light beams at least at one face side thereof; and

the pair of link sections are arranged on one straight line from inner edge centers opposed to each other, of the top plate and the bottom plate of the frame to an upper edge center and a lower edge center of the reflection plate to link between the top plate or the lower plate of the frame and the reflection plate, the link sections being torsionally deformed to turn the reflection plate.

52. An external cavity resonator type tunable light source according to claim 51, wherein the substrate is a silicon substrate.

53. An external cavity resonator type tunable light source according to claim 48, wherein the stationary mirror surface is parallel to the diffraction groove of the diffraction grating and an optical path from the semiconductor laser to the reflection plate through the collimator lens, the stationary mirror, and the diffraction grating is on an identical plane.

54. An external cavity resonator type tunable light source according to claim 48, wherein the reflection plate is formed symmetrically on the left and right with respect to the pair of link sections, one end side of which is used as a light reflecting section, and the other end side is arranged to receive an external force.

55. An external cavity resonator type tunable light source according to claim 48, wherein the drive means include means for generating an electrostatic driving force as the external force applied to the reflection plate.

56. An external cavity resonator type tunable light source according to claim 48, wherein the drive means each include two electrode plates mounted via an insulating spacer on one or both of a pair of side plates of the frame in order to apply an external force to the reflection plate in an electrostatic manner.

57. An external cavity resonator type tunable light source according to claim 56, wherein the drive means each include means for applying signals V1, V2 whose phases are shifted by 180 degrees to each other with respect to the two electrode plates while the frame is defined as a reference electric potential, and alternately generating an electrostatic attractive force between the two electrode plates and the end portion of the reflection plate, thereby causing the reflection plate to reciprocally turn.

58. An external cavity resonator type tunable light source according to claim 57, wherein a frequency of the signals V1, V2 is substantially equal to the resonance frequency of the reflection plate which is determined depending on a shape and a weight of the reflection plate of the turnable mirror and a torsional spring constant of the pair of link sections.

59. An external cavity resonator type tunable light source according to claim 48, wherein the drive means each include means for electromagnetically applying an external force as the external force applied to the reflection plate.

60. An external cavity resonator type tunable light source according to claim 59, wherein the means for electromagnetically applying an external force each include a combination of a magnetic plate fixed to the reflection plate and a coil which provides an electromagnetic force to the magnetic plate.

61. An external cavity resonator type tunable light source according to claim 59, wherein the means for electromagnetically applying an external force each include a combination of a magnet fixed to the reflection plate and a coil which provides an electromagnetic force to the magnet.

62. An external cavity resonator type tunable light source according to claim 60, wherein the drive means each include means for applying a half wave current in a cycle which is substantially equal to the resonance frequency of the reflection plate to the coil.

63. An external cavity resonator type tunable light source according to claim 61, wherein the drive means each include means for applying a full wave current in a cycle which is substantially equal to the resonance frequency of the reflection plate to the coil.