Abstract
A continuously tunable optofluidic distributed feedback (DFB) dye laser was demonstrated on a monolithic replica molded poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) chip. The optical feedback was provided by a phase-shifted higher order Bragg grating embedded in the liquid core of a single mode buried channel waveguide. Due to the soft elastomeric nature of PDMS, the laser frequency could be tuned by mechanically stretching the grating period. In principle, the mechanical tuning range is only limited by the gain bandwidth. A tuning range of nearly 60 nm was demonstrated from a single dye laser chip by combining two common dye molecules Rhodamine 6G and Rhodamine 101. Single-mode operation was maintained with less than 0.1 nm linewidth. Because of the higher order grating, a single laser, when operated with different dye solutions, can provide tunable light output covering the entire spectrum from near UV to near IR in which efficient laser dyes are available. An array of five DFB dye lasers with different grating periods was also demonstrated on a chip. Such tunable integrated laser arrays are expected to become key components in inexpensive advanced spectroscopy chips.
Highlights
On-chip liquid dye lasers represent promising coherent light sources for ‘lab-on-a-chip’ systems in that they allow the integration of laser sources with other microfluidic and optical devices
A continuously tunable optofluidic distributed feedback (DFB) dye laser was demonstrated on a monolithic replica molded poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) chip
The optical feedback was provided by a phase-shifted higher order Bragg grating embedded in the liquid core of a single mode buried channel waveguide
Summary
On-chip liquid dye lasers represent promising coherent light sources for ‘lab-on-a-chip’ systems in that they allow the integration of laser sources with other microfluidic and optical devices. Several groups have so far demonstrated such dye lasers by using different materials and laser cavity designs [1,2,3]. On-chip liquid dye lasers are examples of the new class of emerging optofluidic devices, in which the integration of microfluidics with the adaptive nature of liquids enables unique performance that is not obtainable within solid state materials [5]. An optofluidic distributed feedback (DFB) dye laser was demonstrated on a monolithic poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) elastomer chip [6]. We demonstrate a tunable single-mode DFB dye laser that combines the mechanical flexibility of elastomer materials with the reconfigurability of the liquid dye gain medium
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