  We present and implement a design for an automated system that fabricates
multilayer photonic crystal structures. The device is constructed with low-cost
materials. A polystyrene/cellulose acetate multilayer Bragg reflector was
fabricated to confirm the device's capability. A distributed feedback laser was
also fabricated and characterized. The system has also been used to fabricate
microlasers for a Modern Physics laboratory assignment in which students
measure fluorescence, amplified spontaneous emission, lasing from
one-dimensional Bragg reflectors, and lasing from scattering media.
