Abstract
Single band-edge states can trap light and function as high-quality optical feedback for microscale lasers and nanolasers. However, access to more than a single band-edge mode for nanolasing has not been possible because of limited cavity designs. Here, we describe how plasmonic superlattices - finite-arrays of nanoparticles (patches) grouped into microscale arrays - can support multiple band-edge modes capable of multi-modal nanolasing at programmed emission wavelengths and with large mode spacings. Different lasing modes show distinct input-output light behaviour and decay dynamics that can be tailored by nanoparticle size. By modelling the superlattice nanolasers with a four-level gain system and a time-domain approach, we reveal that the accumulation of population inversion at plasmonic hot spots can be spatially modulated by the diffractive coupling order of the patches. Moreover, we show that symmetry-broken superlattices can sustain switchable nanolasing between a single mode and multiple modes.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 889-894 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | Nature nanotechnology |
| Volume | 12 |
| Issue number | 9 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Sep 1 2017 |
Funding
This work was supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) under DMR-1608258 and DMR-1306514 (D.W., A.Y., W.W., G.C.S., T.W.O.). This work made use of the Northwestern University Micro/Nano Fabrication Facility (NUFAB), which is supported by the State of Illinois and Northwestern University. This work made use of the EPIC facility of the Northwestern University’s Atomic and Nanoscale Characterization Experimental Center (NUANCE), which has received support from the Soft and Hybrid Nanotechnology Experimental (SHyNE) Resource (NSF NNCI-1542205); the MRSEC programme (NSF DMR-1121262) at the Materials Research Center; the International Institute for Nanotechnology (IIN); the Keck Foundation; and the State of Illinois, through the IIN. Use of the Center for Nanoscale Materials, an Office of Science user facility, was supported by the US Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, under contract no. DE-AC02-06CH11357. This research was supported in part by the Quest high performance computing facility at Northwestern University, which is jointly supported by the Office of the Provost, the Office for Research, and Northwestern University Information Technology.
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Bioengineering
- Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics
- Biomedical Engineering
- General Materials Science
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Electrical and Electronic Engineering