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2011
Journal Article
Titel
Distributed feedback dye laser holographically induced in improved organic-inorganic photocurable nanocomposites
Abstract
Distributed feedback (DFB) lasing in permanent volume transmission gratings formed in a laser dye-doped organic-inorganic nanocomposite has been investigated. DFB laser cavities were fabricated using one-step two-beam holographic exposure of Pyrromethene 567 (PM567) doped photopolymerizable acrylate monomers containing inorganic (LaPO4) nanoparticles. Compared to the formulation previously utilized, the material composition presented provides longer lifetime of the laser. Spectral and polarization properties, input-output and stability characteristics of the laser output have been investigated by varying the material composition and the patterning parameters. DFB lasing emission of the second and the third diffraction orders has been demonstrated. The spectral linewidth of 0.08 nm has been observed at a pump energy threshold of about 0.2 J/pulse for the second-order DFB lasing when pumped with 532 nm 500 ps laser pulses. Spectral tuning of the lasing output over 56 and 7 nm was obtained by varying the grating period and the content of inorganic nanoparticles in the polymer matrix, respectively.