Precise emission wavelength modeling is essential for understanding and optimization of distributed
feedback (DFB) lasers. An analytical approach for determining the emission wavelength based on
setting the propagation constant of the Bragg condition and solving for the resulting slab waveguide
mode is reported. The method is advantageous to established methods as it predicts the wavelength
precisely with reduced complexity. Four-layered hybrid polymer-TiO2 first order DFB dye lasers with
different TiO2 layer thicknesses are studied. Varying the TiO2 thickness from 0 nm to 30 nm changes
the emission wavelength by 7nm with compelling agreement of modeling results to experimental
measurements