Abstract

Miniature organic waveguide-based lasers are promising devices for potential applications in photonics and sensing. One of possible designs of such lasers is the distribute feedback (DFB) laser, where feedback is provided through a diffraction grating, which can be easily applied to a slab waveguide of laser. Recently a procedure for direct interference writing of polarization gratings to produce miniaturized DFB-lasers in a single optical step was established [1]. The core of the procedure is the ability of azobenzene-containing materials for stable photo-induced orientation. Liquid crystalline (LC) azobenzene-containing comb-shaped polymers [16] are very attractive candidates for this purpose due to combination of the properties of polymers such as simple processability and high stability with liquid crystal phases features – high optical anisotropy and the ability to control properties by external fields, e.g. by light. Here we report for the first time an application of a liquid crystalline azobenzene-containing polymer (PAAzo) for a DFB single layer laser device.

© 2015 IEEE