Femtosecond laser fabrication of microfluidic channels for organic photonic devices

Appl Opt. 2009 Nov 1;48(31):G114-8. doi: 10.1364/AO.48.00G114.

Abstract

We report on innovative application of microchannels with access holes fabricated by femtosecond laser irradiation followed by chemical etching. This technique allows us to demonstrate a novel approach to the achievement of organic photonic devices in which the properties of a conjugated polymer in solution are exploited in a microfluidic configuration to produce an easy-to-integrate photonic device. Filling the microchannel with a diluted polyfluorene solution, we exploit the unique properties of isolated polymeric chains such as ultrafast gain switching (switching response time of 150 fs) with a 100% on-off ratio. In addition, by dispersing nanoparticles in the polymeric solution we are able to achieve random lasing in the microchannel.