Coupling of organic semiconductor amplified spontaneous emission into polymeric single-mode waveguides patterned by deep-UV irradiation

Single-mode waveguides were fabricated by deep ultraviolet radiation in poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA). Using a masking process, the radiation modifies the refractive index of the PMMA forming core and cladding regions for waveguiding. Following the fabrication of the waveguides, the small molecule material aluminum tris(8-hydroxyquinoline) doped with the laser dye DCM is deposited directly onto the waveguide structures. By optical pumping (lambda = 355 nm) amplified spontaneous emission was observed at the end facets of the waveguides.