Tuning the wavelength of lasing emission in organic semiconducting laser by the orientation of liquid crystalline conjugated polymer

We report the optical pumping of one-dimensional distributed feedback (DFB) conjugated polymer devices using a uniaxially aligned liquid crystalline polymer, poly(9,9-dioctylfluorene). We can independently select the alignment direction (via a rubbed polyimide layer) and the DFB structure (via nanoimprinting). In comparison with unaligned film, we show that lasing threshold is substantially reduced when absorption is parallel to the aligned direction (similar to 20.0 mu J cm(-2) pulse(-1)). This is mainly due to the higher absorption coefficient estimated in the table by calculating the exciton densities at each threshold value. We also report the control of lasing wavelength through independent selection of alignment direction and DFB orientation, which is achieved through the control of the effective refractive index of waveguide (n(eff)). (C) 2008 American Institute of Physics.