Fabrication and characterization of Ta₂O₅ photonic feedback structures

The integration of a thin layer of the high refractive index material Ta2O5 in organic laser structures is studied. A complete fabrication process of Ta2O5 based photonic crystals is described including deposition, electron beam lithography and reactive ion etching. Functional devices using methyl-substituted ladder-type poly(para-phenylene) (MeLPPP) as gain material are characterized with regard to the effectivity of the fabricated feedback structures. © 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.