Polymer distributed feedback dye laser with an external volume Bragg grating inscribed in a nanocomposite by holographic technique

We report on a thin-film polymer distributed feedback (DFB) laser, composed of an active waveguide and an external volume Bragg grating providing second-order distributed feedback, and its output properties. The volume noncorrugated Bragg gratings were inscribed holographically in an organic -inorganic nanocomposite containing high refractive index inorganic nanoparticles. The active waveguide doped with PM576 was fabricated on top of the Bragg grating. The DFB laser presented exhibits both surface and edge emission by transverse optical pumping with nanosecond laser pulses at 532 nm. A theoretical model to analyze the influence of the parameters of the active waveguide and the Bragg grating on the laser performance has been developed.