An optical resonator configured to be tuned using a charge-based memory cell includes an optical cavity configured to transmit light and receive injected charge carriers; a charge-based memory cell in proximity to or within the optical cavity, the memory cell containing a number of trapped charges which influence the resonant optical frequency of the optical resonator. A method of tuning an optical resonator includes applying a voltage or current to a charge-based memory cell to generate a non-volatile charge within the memory cell, the nonvolatile charge changing a resonant frequency of the optical resonator.