A nearly diffraction limited surface emitting conjugated polymer laser utilizing a two-dimensional photonic band structure

We have fabricated a mechanically flexible conjugated polymer laser utilizing distributed feedback due to a two-dimensional photonic band structure. An ultraviolet-embossing process is used for nanopatterning a plastic substrate. On top we spin-coat a ladder-type poly(p-phenylene) as the active laser medium. Upon optical pumping, we observe a low threshold and nearly diffraction limited monomode laser emission perpendicular to the surface. Our results are explained within a Laue formulation for the feedback mechanism in the two-dimensional organic photonic crystal. (C) 2000 American Institute of Physics. [S0003-6951(00)05137-8].