Abstract
We present an experimental study of the emission characteristics and photonic band structure of a distributed feedback polymer laser, based on the material poly[-ethylhexyloxy)-1,4-phenylene vinylene]. We use measurements of the photonic band dispersion to explain how the substrate microstructure modifies both spontaneous and stimulated emission. The lasing structure exhibits a one-dimensional photonic band gap around 610 nm, with lasing occurring at one of the two associated band edges. The band edge (frequency) selection mechanism is found to be a difference in the level of output coupling of the modes associated with the two band edges. This is a feature of the second-order distributed feedback mechanism we have employed and is clearly evident in the measured photonic band structure.
- Received 10 April 2001
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.64.125122
©2001 American Physical Society