Fluorene-based rib waveguides with optimized geometry for long-term amplified spontaneous emission stability

Abstract

Amongst the different optoelectronic applications of conjugated polymers, waveguide amplifiers and optically pumped lasers are those requiring larger photochemical stability, owing to the large irradiation conditions under operation. In this context, suitable waveguide optimization enabling the reduction of amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) threshold values appears as important as synthetic chemistry protocols to promote polymer robustness against photo-oxidation. In this work, we develop rib waveguides with different geometries based on four different fluorene-based compounds and assess the influence of rib confinement on ASE properties. We observe ASE threshold values as low as 8.9 × 10-4 mJ cm-2, being among the lowest threshold values reported so far on blue emitting polymer/oligomer waveguides. We demonstrate that the enhanced ASE efficiency on some of these rib waveguides leads to a fivefold increase in operation lifetime respect to spin-coated slab waveguides, thus confirming the impact of waveguide geometry on ASE operation stability.