Highly photo-stable dye doped solid-state distributed-feedback (DFB) channeled waveguide lasers by a pen-drawing...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Optoelectronics
• Polymer Chemistry

Background:

• Pyrromethene dyes are known for their excellent photophysical properties, making them suitable for laser applications.
• Developing stable and efficient waveguide lasers is crucial for integrated optics and photonics.
• Previous methods for fabricating polymer waveguide lasers often face challenges in stability and scalability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To fabricate stable polymeric channeled waveguide lasers doped with pyrromethene dyes.
• To investigate a novel pen-drawing technique for creating permanent distributed feedback (DFB) structures.
• To assess the laser lifetime and performance of the fabricated devices.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of patterned polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) chips using a casting process.
• A novel pen-drawing technique utilizing high-resolution dispensers to write dye-doped pre-polymers into PDMS grooves.
• Control over the cross-section of channeled waveguides by adjusting polymer composition and pen-drawing parameters.
• Characterization of laser output stability and lifetime.

Main Results:

• Successful fabrication of pyrromethene dyes doped polymeric channeled waveguide lasers with permanent DFB structures.
• Achieved highly stable laser output with a laser lifetime of 4.8 × 10^6 pulses at a 500 Hz pump repetition rate.
• Demonstrated control over waveguide dimensions through polymer composition and drawing parameters.
• The obtained laser lifetime is among the best reported for pyrromethene 567 (PM567) dyes.

Conclusions:

• The novel pen-drawing technique offers a scalable and effective method for fabricating high-performance polymer waveguide lasers.
• The fabricated PM567 doped waveguide lasers exhibit remarkable stability and longevity.
• This work presents a significant advancement in the development of robust and efficient organic laser devices.