Communication

Continuously Color-Tunable Rubber Laser†

  1. M. R. Weinberger1,
  2. G. Langer1,
  3. A. Pogantsch2,
  4. A. Haase3,
  5. E. Zojer2,4,
  6. W. Kern

Article first published online: 29 JAN 2004

DOI: 10.1002/adma.200305681

Issue

Advanced Materials

Advanced Materials

Volume 16, Issue 2, pages 130–133, January, 2004

Additional Information

How to Cite

Weinberger, M. R., Langer, G., Pogantsch, A., Haase, A., Zojer, E. and Kern, W. (2004), Continuously Color-Tunable Rubber Laser. Adv. Mater., 16: 130–133. doi: 10.1002/adma.200305681

Author Information

  1. 1

    Institute for Chemistry and Technology of Organic Materials, Graz University of Technology, Stremayrgasse 16, A-8010 Graz, Austria

  2. 2

    Institute of Solid State Physics, Graz University of Technology, Petersgasse 16, A-8010 Graz, Austria

  3. 3

    Institute for Nanostructured Materials and Photonics, Joanneum Research, Franz-Pichler-Str. 30, A-8160 Weiz, Austria

  4. 4

    School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332-0400, USA

  1. †

    The authors acknowledge financial support by FWF Vienna through the “Spezialforschungsbereich Elektroaktive Stoffe” (projects F917 and F921). Holographic patterning was carried out in cooperation with K. F. Iskra (Institute of Experimental Physics, TU Graz, Austria). The authors are grateful to C. Slugovc (Institute for Chemistry and Technology of Organic Materials, TU Graz, Austria) for performing the NMR analysis and to G. Jakopic (Insitute for Nanostructured Materials and Photonics, Joanneum Research, Weiz, Austria) for ellipsometric measurements.

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 29 JAN 2004
  2. Article first published online: 29 JAN 2004
  3. Manuscript Accepted: 8 OCT 2003
  4. Manuscript Received: 11 JUL 2003

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Keywords:

  • Elastomers;
  • Lasers, distributed feedback (DFB);
  • Lasers, optically pumped;
  • Photoisomerization

A photopatternable elastomer [poly(butadiene-co-(4-vinylbenzyl thiocyanate)] bearing UV-sensitive thiocyanate (–SCN) groups, which isomerize to isothiocyanate (–NCS) units upon irradiation with UV light, is reported. This isomerization changes the refractive index of the elastomer, enabling the production of refractive index and relief distributed feedback (DFB) gratings using interference lithography. Blending a laser dye into the elastomer creates an optically pumped laser, which, when strained, allows continuous and reversible tuning of the laser emission wavelength.

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