in the case where sacrificial structure 60 comprises polyimide or a cf 4 plasma in the case where sacrificial structure 60 comprises aluminum this releases thin membrane support 25 along with top mirror 40 to the extent that top mirror 40 is formed with an appropriate magnitude and type of strain to result in the formation of a curved configuration the removal of sacrificial structure 60 permits the top mirror to assume its desired curved configuration since wet chemistry is preferably not involved in removing sacrificial structure 60 there is no risk of the released thin membrane support 25 collapsing due to surface tension a tunable vcsel fig2 may be formed in corresponding fashion by depositing a gain region 55 between bottom mirror 15 and bottom electrode 20 gain region 55 may comprise an ingaasp ingaas multiple quantum well mqw structure gain region 55 may be deposited on bottom mirror 15 by mbe molecular beam epitaxy or mocvd metal organic chemical vapor deposition methods and bottom mirror 20 may be deposited on gain region 55 by mbe or mocvd or other thin film coating techniques lasing can be achieved by photo pumping with a separate pump laser having a wavelength that is highly absorptive within the gain spectrum of the gain medium used in gain region 55 the present invention can also be used to produce a current injected tunable vcsel as well in.