Multimode distributed feedback laser emission in a dye-doped optically pumped polymer thin-film

We report on particular features of thin film distributed feedback (DFB) lasers. Devices are optically pumped using a Lloyd-mirror interferometer. For a given DFB grating period, the number of lasing modes is film thickness dependent. Spectral content of the devices is analysed using planar waveguide theory. An excellent agreement between the theoretical transverse electric mode structure and the laser emission spectrum is found.