SOLID-STATE TUNABLE CAVITY LASING IN A POLY(PARA-PHENYLENE VINYLENE) DERIVATIVE ALTERNATING BLOCK-COPOLYMER

There is a great deal of interest in developing ir-conjugated polymeri c semiconductor based diode lasers which can yield lasing under electr ical excitation. Towards this goal, tunable cavity lasing was achieved in a poly(para-phenylene vinylene) derivative alternating block copol ymer, BMPPV, dispersed in an active solid matrix of poly(9-vinylcarbaz ole), with which this block co-polymer also exhibits strong electrolum inescence. The laser operated in the blue region of the spectrum over the range 480 to 510 nm, with an optical efficiency approaching 10%. L inewidth narrowing and a narrowing of the temporal profile are reporte d. Operating lifetime of the solid-state laser was in excess of 5000 p ulses at the same pumping position on the sample. Lasing properties of the same block copolymer in the solution phase were also investigated and the results compared with the solid state laser performance. (C) 1997 American Institute of Physics.