Photopumped laser oscillation and charge-injected luminescence from organic semiconductor single crystals of a thiophene/phenylene co-oligomer

We have demonstrated that single crystals of a thiophene/phenylene co-oligomer [alpha, omega-bis-biphenyl-4-yl-terthiophene (BP3T)] show interesting photonic aspects: (1) the self-waveguided amplified spontaneous light emissions with a comparable low threshold of 8 mu J/cm(2) to other optimized organic solid-state laser systems, and (2) the laser oscillation based on the optical self-confinement effect in the crystals. We have also presented electroluminescence from the crystals based on bipolar injection and the crystals' tolerance for intense current driving. These achievements strongly imply that BP3T crystals are a promising candidate for organic laser diodes. (c) 2005 American Institute of Physics.