Polymer Lasing in a Periodic-Random Compound Cavity

Area of Science:

• Photonics and Optical Engineering
• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Distributed feedback (DFB) lasers offer wavelength selectivity.
• Random lasers provide unique emission properties but often lack directionality and polarization control.
• Compound cavities integrating periodic and random structures are underexplored for advanced laser functionalities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the simultaneous occurrence of DFB lasing and linear polarized random lasing.
• To explore the influence of a grating structure on the characteristics of random lasing.
• To assess the potential for creating integrated laser sources using a periodic-random compound cavity.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a grating cavity using interference lithography.
• Creation of a random cavity by spin-coating a silver nanoparticle-doped polymer onto the grating.
• Optical pumping of the compound cavity to induce lasing.

Main Results:

• Simultaneous DFB lasing and linear polarized random lasing were successfully observed.
• The grating structure was found to modify the directionality and polarization of the random laser emission.
• The periodic-random compound cavity design enables controlled laser output.

Conclusions:

• The developed compound cavity effectively integrates DFB and random lasing mechanisms.
• Grating-modified random lasing offers a pathway to control laser output properties.
• This research paves the way for the development of novel integrated laser sources with tailored characteristics.