  We have developed an inertially sensitive optomechanical laser by combining a
Vertical-External-Cavity Surface-Emitting Laser with a monolithic fused silica
resonator. By placing the external cavity mirror of the VECSEL onto the
optomechanical resonator test mass, we create a sensor where external
accelerations are directly transcribed onto the lasing frequency. We developed
a proof-of-principle laboratory prototype and observe test mass oscillations at
the resonance frequency of the sensor through the VECSEL lasing frequency, 4.18
+/- .03 Hz. In addition, we set up an ancillary heterodyne interferometer to
track the motion of the mechanical oscillator's test mass, observing a
resonance of 4.194 +/- 0.004 Hz. The interferometer measurements validate the
VECSEL results, confirming the feasibility of using optomechanical lasers for
inertial sensing.
