159 research outputs found
Opto-fluidic third order distributed feed-back dye laser
This letter describes the design and operation of a polymer-based third order
distributed feed-back (DFB) microfluidic dye laser. The device relies on
light-confinement in a nano-structured polymer film where an array of
nanofluidic channels is filled by capillary action with a liquid dye solution
which has a refractive index lower than that of the polymer. In combination
with a third order DFB grating, formed by the array of nanofluidic channels,
this yields a low threshold for lasing. The laser is straight-forward to
integrate on Lab-on-a-Chip micro-systems where coherent, tunable light in the
visible range is desired.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure
Bleaching and diffusion dynamics in optofluidic dye lasers
We have investigated the bleaching dynamics that occur in optofluidic dye
lasers where the liquid laser dye in a microfluidic channel is locally bleached
due to optical pumping. We find that for microfluidic devices, the dye
bleaching may be compensated through diffusion of dye molecules alone. By
relying on diffusion rather than convection to generate the necessary dye
replenishment, our observation potentially allows for a significant
simplification of optofluidic dye laser device layouts, omitting the need for
cumbersome and costly external fluidic handling or on-chip microfluidic pumping
devices.Comment: 3 pages including 3 figures. Accepted for AP
A Coupled Cavity Micro Fluidic Dye Ring Laser
We present a laterally emitting, coupled cavity micro fluidic dye ring laser,
suitable for integration into lab-on-a-chip micro systems. The micro-fluidic
laser has been successfully designed, fabricated, characterized and modelled.
The resonator is formed by a micro-fluidic channel bounded by two isosceles
triangle mirrors. The micro-fluidic laser structure is defined using photo
lithography in 10 microns thick SU-8 polymer on a glass substrate. The micro
fluidic channel is sealed by a glass lid, using PMMA adhesive bonding. The
laser is characterized using the laser dye Rhodamine 6G dissolved in ethanol or
ethylene glycol as the active gain medium, which is pumped through the
micro-fluidic channel and laser resonator. The dye laser is optically pumped
normal to the chip plane at 532 nm by a pulsed, frequency doubled Nd:YAG laser
and lasing is observed with a threshold pump pulse energy flux of around 55
micro-Joule/square-milimeter. The lasing is multi-mode, and the laser has
switchable output coupling into an integrated polymer planar waveguide. Tuning
of the lasing wavelength is feasible by changing the dye/solvent properties.Comment: Accepted for Microelectronic Engineerin
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